Ministers Urso and Al Hashimi advance bilateral cooperation, positioning Rome and Abu Dhabi as joint industrial players amid global tech rivalry.
On the sidelines of last week’s Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025, Italy’s Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, met with UAE Minister for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimi in Rome to push forward an ambitious industrial partnership. Their agenda spotlighted data centers, artificial intelligence, energy interconnectivity, critical minerals, and joint initiatives in Africa under Italy’s Mattei Plan.
Strengthening a strategic axis
The meeting reaffirmed the strategic importance both countries place on working together in third markets, particularly in Africa. Italy views the UAE as a vital partner for developing high-tech, high-impact projects, even as both navigate an increasingly competitive global landscape. China — through players like Huawei — has already established a foothold in key African countries such as Egypt, a strategic partner to both Rome and Abu Dhabi.
From MoUs to industrial action
Central to the meeting was the implementation of the bilateral Memorandum of Understanding on AI and Data Centres. A tangible step forward came with the announcement that Italian energy group Eni and Emirati firm Khazna signed a Heads of Terms agreement to create a joint venture. The project will develop a 500 MW AI Data Center Campus in Ferrera Erbognone, Lombardy, positioning Italy as a regional digital infrastructure hub.
Italy also presented its national industrial strategy, structured around ten priority sectors and eight enabling technologies, as a framework for sustained collaboration with the UAE.
Africa in focus: the AI Hub for sustainable development
The bilateral talks emphasized Africa’s centrality to this cooperation. A key initiative is the AI Hub for Sustainable Development, launched under Italy’s G7 presidency with UNDP and African stakeholders. Minister Urso described it as “a beacon of innovation and a concrete bridge between Italy, Europe, and Africa.”
The hub aims to support 500 African startups by 2028 and foster dozens of public-private partnerships, aligning closely with the UAE’s expanding interests on the continent and paving the way for trilateral partnerships.
Navigating Ggobal tech rivalries
However, Italy’s AI ambitions face stiff competition. Last week, Huawei unveiled a large-scale AI education program in Egypt, targeting over 25,000 students across three universities, including the influential Al-Azhar University. The initiative, tied to Egypt’s Vision 2030 and national AI strategy, blends infrastructure development, education, and cultural diplomacy — further embedding Chinese tech influence in North Africa.
What’s at stake
As Cairo emerges as a pivotal hub in China’s African strategy, the strengthened Italy-UAE partnership represents a Euro-Arab alternative. Rather than a zero-sum contest, the UAE’s multi-aligned diplomatic posture — typical among Global South nations — leaves space for parallel engagement with multiple powers.
What to watch
Looking ahead, the Italy-UAE alliance could evolve into a strategic mechanism for regional integration across Africa. Beyond infrastructure, it holds potential to advance AI-driven models for governance, economic development, and interconnection, offering an inclusive, high-value pathway in a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape. Photo by mikemacmarketing, Wikimedia commons.
