The energy transition and the impact of climate change on Africa are key focuses for Italy as G20 president this year and as co-chair of the UN's crucial COP26 climate talks in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November.
"Maximising the synergies between our role as G20 president and co-chair of COP26, we have been working to increase our ambitions for climate action," Italy's foreign minister Luigi Di Maio stated on Wednesday.
"We have a special focus on the impact of climate in Africa, which will be up for discussion at the 'Encounters with Africa' ministerial event taking place in Rome in the next few days," Di Maio added.
He was addressing the Think20 (T20) Summit held in Milan from Monday through Wednesday within the framework of Italy's G20 presidency. The hybrid event looked at challenges facing the G20 and other multilateral forums in a range of areas from vaccines and health to climate, growth, international finance, trade and investment, digitalisation, poverty and inequality.
Also part of Italy's G20 presidency, 'Encounters with Africa' taking place in Rome on Friday will bring together delegations from 54 African countries, representatives from the African Union and other major African regional organisations, Italian institutions, business, academia and the tertiary sector.