There was talk of foreign policy, Africa, national interests and much more to the meeting organized in recent days in Bologna on the subject "The risks of the southern shore of the Mediterranean and the possible role of Italy in the region" from the Military Studies Center "Gen. Bernadini "directed by Antonio Li Gobbi.
To talk about it was called Ugo Trojano, one of the leading Italian experts in international operations and stabilization, with many years of experience with the UN, the EU and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Africa, the Middle East and the Balkans. Among his many positions, that of UN mayor in the mixed city of Kosovo Polje (1999-2001), head of the Provincial Reconstruction Team of Nassiriyah in Iraq in 2006 and spokesman of the European mission in Sahel-Niger up to 2016. Experiences that he told in a book, "On the outskirts of the world"Published by Fermento (2014).
To interview him Gianandrea Gaiani, journalist, writer, director of Defense Analysis, columnist on the main national television networks (Rai, Mediaset, La7 and SkyTg24), and a regular contributor to Il Mattino, Il Messaggero, Libero and Il Corriere del Ticino.
Many points touched during the meeting, some also referred to current issues such as that on the Franco CFA (African Financial Community), the uniform adopted by 14 African countries, which sees Paris in the role of guarantor of full convertibility.
The French role in the CFA monetary area and the freedom of the states that belong to it are for Trojano, "a formidable geopolitical control tool", Which de facto limits the sovereignty of the states that adhere to it (they are required to pay the Bank of France 65% of the positions in the reserve, to guarantee the monetary exchange).
Therefore, the African policy of Paris imposes profound reflections on the quality and continuity of our initiatives in the region: just think of the problems suddenly arisen with the government of Niamey to deploy one of our contingents in Niger or the issue of migratory flows to Spain and Italy they cross just the French Africa.
In this regard, urged by Gaiani, Trojano stressed the chronic "lack of vision " of Italy in foreign policy, due in large part to the "discontinuity of politics " of pro tempore governments.
A feature that is ill-suited to what happens in our direct competitors, more consistent in policies aimed at the international arena, and therefore more equipped to capitalize on the results.
In some cases - Trojano quoted Senegal and Lebanon - national politics has even nullified the excellent work done by our local officials, both those of the Farnesina and those employed in various international organizations, with the result of giving "to others" "Many of the results achieved on the field, even in contexts that would have definitely preferred the Italian presence.
A pity, especially considered "the great consensus that Italy collects in the African quadrant and in the Middle East", Mainly due to his"not being fully assimilated to a colonialist state", But also to the usual way of working of the Italians - just think of that of our military contingents -, which in many situations makes the difference.
What to do then, Gaiani asked, to limit the risk of a continent whose unstoppable demographic growth and the consequent migratory flows to Europe represent a serious threat, whose observable effects risk being only an anticipation of what will happen in the future?
The solution, according to Trojano, could lie in a new European aid policy, such as the Marshall Plan, "that does not translate as in the past in donations of money to rain ended in many cases to replenish the pockets of local potentates ", but which on the contrary is based on investments linked to well-defined projects, with constant monitoring of the progress of the works.
An action that has become ever more necessary, on a continent in which China (even Turkey is very present) is carrying out policies of impoverishment with great consequences on the social level, the cost of which we Europeans risk to pay for themselves.
But in the expectation that such a plan will become reality, Italy can not be caught unprepared, but, on the contrary, "must start preparing the ground by creating the best conditions on the spot, in terms of contacts and synergies ", to make the most of the future commitment of the European institutions.
With particular attention "to institutional communication through a special structure that interfaces with the various regional actors " to gain its consent and lay the groundwork for future collaborations.
For Trojano, in conclusion, the Italian strategy towards Africa must go through a clear definition of what are the national interests, which can not and must not change with the succession of the executives; expresses itself with a credible foreign policy that draws constant reference from these interests; it is implemented with the involvement of Europe to provide support to a continent that otherwise risks overflowing.
Paradoxical that the very last of these lines of action is the one that is most easily pursued today.
