The Italian government is now using all diplomatic and foreign trade levers to make itself independent of Russian gas.
To this end, Italy, which is as dependent on energy supplies from Russia as Germany is, is mobilizing its relations in Africa.
On Thursday, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio and Environment and Energy Minister Roberto Cingolani signed a memorandum of understanding with representatives of the Republic of the Congo in Brazzaville to purchase more than 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas a year.
The fuel will come primarily from a liquid gas plant that is scheduled to go into operation in the coming year.
Christian Schubert
Economic correspondent for Italy and Greece.
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"The LNG exports will make it possible to use the gas production in excess of the Congolese domestic demand," said the partly state-owned Italian energy group ENI on Thursday in relation to its import hopes.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi had to stay at home due to a Covid infection, but he was on the phone with the President of the Republic of the Congo, Denis Sassou Nguesso.
The two Italian ministers who had traveled there, together with ENI CEO Claudio Descalzi, then paid their respects personally to the President in Brazzaville.
Historical connection
The African heads of state should take it with goodwill that their counterparts from the rich industrialized countries are now appearing as petitioners.
The day before, the Italian delegation visited Angola and also agreed there to supply additional gas to Italy, which is said to amount to around 1.5 billion cubic meters a year.
In return, Italy wants to become more involved in Africa: ENI has agreed on initiatives in the field of renewable energies with the Republic of Congo.
The focus will be on the production of raw materials for biorefineries, the sustainable management of forests, environmentally friendly cooking systems and the separation of CO2.
For the liquefied gas project in the Congo, gas is used that the domestic market does not need, emphasizes ENI.
Connections to the Congo go back a long way.
The country's main explorer, Pietro Savorgnan di Brazza, after whom the capital is named, was an Italian who later became French.
ENI has been present in the country for more than half a century.
The company has "accompanied the country's industrial and energy development policies since the early years of Congolese independence," the Italian embassy in Brazzaville says on its website.
Italy also stresses that it was the first country in the Paris Club to cancel Congolese debt.
In addition to ENI, Italian companies from the engineering, construction and service sectors also work in the country, whose main source of income is oil and gas.
The Republic of the Congo has been a member of OPEC since 2018.
Of course, Italy is not the only western power: France, represented by Total Energies, also has ambitions in the Congo.
And in countries like Angola and Mozambique, Russia is also exerting influence.
Angola is a major importer of Russian armaments;
the connection dates back to the Cold War era.
In Mozambique, there have been serious unrests by terrorist groups in recent years.
Total therefore had to put a billion-dollar project to build a liquid gas plant on hold.
Nevertheless, Italy now wants to open up gas wells there as well.
Prime Minister Draghi will probably travel to the country soon, according to the Foreign Ministry in Rome.
ENI has been represented in Mozambique since 2006.
According to the company, between 2011 and 2014 it discovered large gas deposits.
According to Energy Minister Cingolani, Italy will have to replace 29 billion cubic meters of gas a year if the country wants to stop receiving supplies from Russia.
A key agreement recently struck with Algeria envisages the delivery of an additional nine billion cubic meters per year by 2023/2024.
A contract with Egypt also includes more than three billion cubic meters of liquid gas, which, however, should also go to other European countries.
Cingolani believes that Italy may not need Russian gas in 18 months.