Algeria’s Arkab to Attend 4th International Forum “Towards the South” in Italy

Mohamed Arkab, the Algerian Minister of State, Minister of Energy, Mines, and Renewable Energies, is set to participate in the 4th edition of the international forum titled “Towards the South: The European Strategy for a New Geopolitical, Economic, and Sociocultural Season in the Mediterranean,” scheduled to take place on May 16 and 17 in Sorrento, Italy, as announced in a communiqué from his ministry.

Arkab’s participation in this forum, organized under the auspices of the Italian government, follows an invitation from “The European House-Ambrosetti” (TEHA Group).

Accompanying the Minister of State will be a high-level delegation that includes Rachid Hachichi, CEO of Sonatrach; Mourad Adjal, CEO of Sonelgaz; and several other officials from related sectors, the communiqué stated.

During the forum, Arkab will engage in a high-level session entitled “The Strategic Role of the Mediterranean in the Global Energy Transition Process: Achievements and Strategies,” where he will outline Algeria’s vision for energy transition within the framework of sustainable development.

He will also highlight Algeria’s role as a reliable partner in ensuring regional energy security through collaborative projects and energy integration, particularly in light of recent European initiatives.

This engagement is part of broader efforts to revitalize Italy’s strategic role in the Mediterranean by effectively implementing the Mattei Plan, launched by the Italian government to establish a new long-term balanced partnership between Europe and Africa.

The plan aims to foster cooperative development in critical areas such as energy, education, infrastructure, and agriculture, with Algeria identified as a key country in this initiative due to its geographical position and significant energy resources, according to the communiqué.

This edition of the forum will feature a notable presence of prominent political and economic figures, including Fabrizio Saggio, the diplomatic advisor to the Italian Prime Minister regarding the Mattei Plan; Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, the Italian Minister of Environment and Energy Security; Francesco Lollobrigida, the Italian Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forestry; and Luis Planas, the Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, alongside diplomats, leaders of major corporations, and representatives from Mediterranean research institutions and think tanks.

The forum aims to create a platform for dialogue and strategic exchange between public and private sectors at both national and international levels, fostering an intellectual initiative that unites economic, institutional, and academic stakeholders from the region to cultivate concrete and sustainable partnerships for stability and prosperity in the Mediterranean basin.

Additionally, the forum will address current geopolitical transformations and their socioeconomic implications, along with pressing issues such as food security, environmental changes, the new energy vision for Southern Europe and the Mediterranean, and the region’s role in advancing a new European vision of cooperation with Africa, framed within a balanced, responsible, and mutually beneficial partnership.