Italy's Defence of Algeria's Energy Sovereignty in the 1950s.

The article focuses on Italy's defense of Algeria's energy sovereignty during the 1950s, particularly through the actions of Enrico Mattei, president of Italy's national energy company Eni. It examines how the discovery of oil and gas fields in Algeria influenced Franco-Italian relations amid the Algerian War of Liberation (1954–1962), highlighting Mattei's refusal to cooperate with France on exploiting Algerian hydrocarbons until Algeria achieved independence. Mattei's stance was shaped by political, economic, and idealistic factors, including his support for Algerian self-determination and opposition to colonialism, which earned him posthumous recognition from Algerian leaders. Despite French pressure and Italian government interests favoring collaboration, Mattei prioritized negotiations with an independent Algerian government, delaying Italian involvement in Saharan oil exploitation until the conflict's resolution.