The war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, and several initiatives to reshape regional and international partnerships and alliances have made the Southern Neighbourhood even more strategic for Italian and European interests. The urgency to diversify the energy supply (drawing on both fossil fuels and clean energy sources) has pushed Italy to strengthen old and create new partnerships with countries on the southern shore of the Mediterranean, as well as turning to countries of Sub-Saharan Africa, with the aim both of turning Italy into an energy hub, and of becoming autonomous from Russia.

The project aims to define some priorities related to the Italian national interest in different strategic sectors. This initiative finds its focal point in the European agenda, stressing in particular the role of Italy in a complicated moment marked by new challenges for the European Union and the entire world. The Institute's research targeted the following areas: the EU economic governance; green transition and the potential new sources of energy supply; migration and asylum policy management.