To meet rising expectations for more co-ordinated and unified engagement in partner countries, Italy has introduced system-wide country missions. Led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation (MAECI), they help align actors upstream, foster joint programming, generate ideas for project pipelines and strengthen credibility with partner countries.
“Team Italy” missions driving more unified partner country engagement
Abstract
Italy’s development co-operation system benefits from the expertise of a diverse range of actors, making it inclusive but also increasing co-ordination demands. This issue is common to many development co-operation providers seeking to implement whole-of-government approaches. Renewed political impetus from Italy’s Mattei Plan has raised expectations for more coherent engagement in Africa and beyond. To translate political ambition into delivery, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation (MAECI) has introduced system-wide “Team Italy” country missions to improve coherence, generate shared project pipelines and strengthen partnerships through collective, high-level engagement.
Launched in 2023, Team Italy country missions represent a structured and repeatable approach to strengthen the co‑ordination, visibility and impact of Italy’s engagement in partner countries, while supporting joint programming and development of project pipelines.
Led by the Director-General of MAECI, the missions benefit from high‑level political leadership and aim to ensure system‑wide alignment from the outset. They bring together the full spectrum of Italian actors involved in international co-operation, including: the Italian Agency for Development Co-operation (AICS); Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (Italy’s development finance institution); relevant line ministries such as for the economy and finance, the interior, agriculture or environment; Italian embassies; SACE (Italy’s export credit agency); SIMEST (which supports Italian firms abroad); civil society organisations (CSOs); private sector representatives, as well as international organisations. For missions to Africa, they also benefit from the presence of Mattei Plan Task Force representatives from the Prime Minister’s Office. Recent missions have involved 50–60 participants and covered several countries in a single itinerary, such as the 2024 visit to Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia.
Preparation is joint and collaborative. Participating actors align priorities, messages and potential initiatives before engaging with partner governments. Missions combine high‑level political dialogue with meetings involving partner country governments, international organisations, financial institutions and the Italian private sector. They also include field visits and thematic sessions on areas such as agri‑food, digitalisation, green transition, migration and cultural co‑operation.
Improved alignment and coherence across Italian actors. The introduction of system-wide Team Italy missions has significantly improved co‑ordination, coherence and project pipeline development across Italy’s development co-operation system. Authorities report that more than half of newly developed initiatives originate from ideas generated during these missions, reflecting stronger upstream alignment and more joint programming.
Mobilised broader and inclusive opportunities for country engagement. A 2024 mission to Côte d’Ivoire facilitated a larger scale call for proposals (EUR 30 million), which was opened to all CSOs operating in the country.
Enhanced credibility and political commitment in partner countries. Partner governments perceive Team Italy missions as beneficial; the high-level, multi-actor delegations signal sustained political commitment and have strengthened Italy’s visibility and credibility, facilitating strategic dialogue and faster identification of shared priorities.
Reduced fragmentation and transaction costs. Missions have enabled partners to engage simultaneously with a broad range of Italian actors, including MAECI, AICS, financial institutions and line ministries.
Strong leadership and strategic anchoring are essential: Clear direction from MAECI helps align objectives and manage expectations, while grounding mission objectives in Italy’s country strategies and broader priorities strengthens coherence and long-term engagement.
High-level presence in partner countries matters: Partner countries respond positively to senior, multi-actor delegations, which strengthen trust and signal long-term political commitment.
Upstream co‑ordination and prioritisation pay off: Early and collective preparation leads to more coherent programming and a stronger project portfolio when broad participation is balanced with clear thematic and geographic focus, helping keep missions manageable and effective, while complementing broader provider co-ordination efforts.
Whole-of-system engagement adds value when paired with structured follow-up: Bringing together policy, technical, financial, CSO and private sector actors boosts dialogue and credibility. Clear processes for documenting decisions, assigning responsibilities and tracking progress are then needed to ensure mission outcomes lead to concrete actions and sustained collaboration.
Strategic direction must complement field‑driven programming: Missions are valuable in setting strategic direction and momentum, but their impact grows when they are aligned with local planning cycles, partner needs and operational realities.
Resource demands and adaptability go hand in hand: Missions require predictable resourcing and realistic scheduling, while regular reflection on mission size, frequency and focus helps sustain impact as the approach becomes institutionalised.
Republic of Italy (2023), Decree Law November 15, 2023, No. 161 (Mattei Plan), https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:decreto.legge:2023-11-15;161!vig=2024-02-09.
OECD (forthcoming), OECD Development Co-operation Peer Reviews: Italy 2026, OECD Publishing, Paris.
OECD (2022), “Whole-of-government development co-operation”, TIPs Fundamentals, Development Co-operation TIPs ∙ Tools, Insights, Practices, https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/development-co-operation-tips-tools-insights-practices_be69e0cf-en/whole-of-government-development-co-operation_9a51a6f6-en.html.
To learn more about Italy’s development co-operation, see:
OECD, Italy, Development Co-operation Profiles, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/development-co-operation-profiles_04b376d7-en/italy_53431c59-en.html.
More In Practice examples from Italy are available on Development Co-operation TIPs • Tools Insights Practices.
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Photo © Erica Enne, MAECI, “Team Italy” mission in Cote d’Ivoire. Visit to the Vridi Canal school in Abidjan, 2026.
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