Italy’s Meloni opens Africa summit to unveil plan to boost development and curb migration

ROME (AP) — Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni is opening a summit of African leaders aimed at unveiling Italy’s big development plan for Africa. The government is hoping the plan will help stem migration flows and forge a new relationship between Europe and the continent. Two dozen African leaders, top European Union and United Nations officials and representatives from international lending institutions were in Rome for the summit. Italy hopes its development plan will create security and economic conditions that will create jobs in Africa and discourage Africans from making dangerous migrations across the Mediterranean Sea.