On March 25, the Permanent Mission of Italy to the UN in New York hosted a meeting of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), a global fund housed within the World Bank and the leading international partnership dedicated to promoting access to education in developing countries. The meeting is part of Italy’s efforts to promote the replenishment of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), represented at the meeting by Executive Director Laura Frigenti.
In his opening remarks, Permanent Representative Giorgio Marrapodi highlighted Italy’s strong commitment to promoting accessible, quality education, one of Italy’s foreign policy priorities, a cornerstone of Italy’s development cooperation model, and one of the main pillars of the Mattei Plan. Education, training, and skills development, the Ambassador noted, are among the key factors for fostering innovation, strengthening social inclusion, and “leaving no one behind,” as stated in the motto of the 2030 Agenda.
Italy officially announced its intention to co-host, together with Nigeria, the GPE refinancing campaign for the 2026–2030 period during an event on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, 2025, attended by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Edmondo Cirielli, Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima, and GPE Chair (and former President of Tanzania) Jakaya Kikwete.
