RES4Africa Foundation and ECCO Think Tank have published the new policy brief, "Italy as a Clean Energy Hub in the Mediterranean, Reconciling Opportunities and Challenges with North African Partners", developed with the support of the Unit for Analysis, Policy Planning, Statistics and Historical Documentation of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Drawing on more than 40 interviews conducted with public institutions, financial actors, industry representatives, civil society organizations and research stakeholders across Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, the report provides an in-depth assessment of how Italy can strengthen its strategic engagement in North Africa's rapidly evolving energy transition landscape.

 The research highlights that North African energy transition markets are evolving rapidly, with investment ecosystems, industrial partnerships and strategic positioning becoming increasingly competitive. At the same time, partner countries share a common vision of what successful international cooperation should look like: long-term commitment, integrated partnerships, local value creation, capacity building and predictable institutional engagement.

Against this backdrop, the report concludes that Italy has a significant opportunity to strengthen its position within the Mediterranean's emerging clean energy and industrial ecosystem. Achieving this ambition, however, requires translating growing political momentum into a coordinated, long-term and country-specific operational presence.

The policy brief introduces the concept of an "energy-transition diplomacy": an approach that combines diplomacy, industrial strategy, financial instruments and technical cooperation to build stronger, mutually beneficial partnerships with North African countries and support Italy's ambition to become a clean energy hub in the Mediterranean.

The publication provides six cross-cutting policy recommendations, together with country-specific actions for Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, offering a practical roadmap to strengthen regional cooperation and accelerate the clean energy transition.

Download the full policy brief to discover the complete analysis and recommendations.