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AfroLatAmLAB

The Africa & Latin America research unit (AfroLatAmLAB) at the Centre for International Strategic Studies (CISS), LUISS Guido Carli, is established as a multidisciplinary platform committed to rethinking international relations between Italy & Europe and Africa & Latin America. Through partnerships with institutional bodies, private entities, civil society actors, university cooperation, and innovation hubs, AfroLatAmLAB engages in strategic dialogue, knowledge production, and capacity-building initiatives, with the ultimate aim of enhancing Italian expertise and its contribution to both international solidarity and development cooperation. The research unit aims to strategically contribute to European Union Delegated Cooperation initiatives designed to expand development partnerships toward regions that have not yet been prioritized but hold strategic importance in both Africa and Latin America, fostering broader and more inclusive collaboration in alignment with Italy’s evolving foreign policy priorities amid the shifting dynamics of contemporary international relations.

 

The Lab’s work is organised around two main interrelated axes of analysis, whose mutual reinforcement lies at the core of its approach. Mediation and peacebuilding efforts are most effective when embedded in broader strategies for economic justice and environmental sustainability. Conversely, economic partnerships gain legitimacy when grounded in inclusive governance, social cohesion, and human security. This integrated logic informs how the Lab conceptualises, designs, and implements its initiatives – bridging the gap between short-term crisis response and long-term structural transformation.

 

The first axis centres on peacebuilding, international mediation, and conflict resolution, addressing the urgent need for new diplomatic tools and conflict mitigation strategies, particularly in fragile contexts across Africa and Latin America. By contributing to initiatives such as the Italian Initiative on International Mediation (3IM) and supporting the development of the RIMI (Italian Network for International Mediation) roster of mediators, the AfroLatAmLAB fosters Italy’s leadership in Track II diplomacy, while cultivating local capacities for dialogue and civic engagement. As part of this work, the Lab will also launch a Comparative Electoral Observatory to monitor political trends and electoral dynamics across Africa and Latin America as a lens for understanding how leadership models and political narratives shape regional stability, citizen engagement, and prospects for peace.

 

The second axis focuses on strategic economic cooperation as a complementary and necessary pathway to sustaining peace, enabling inclusive development, and redistributing value. Particular emphasis is placed on the Global South, including Africa and Latin America’s geopolitical positioning between the US, China, and the EU; the role of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) within the emerging financial architecture of the post-Official Development Assistance (ODA) world. The Lab explores how alternative economic models, such as in the case of the BRICS+ or the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), can challenge extractive dynamics by strengthening local production systems and reinforcing territorial sovereignty. It engages with themes such as value chain integration, public-private collaboration, and the financialization of development, while promoting South–South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTRc) as frameworks for co-creating equitable and resilient growth. The Lab considers particularly relevant that, within South–South cooperation frameworks, digital innovation and financial technologies (fintech) play a crucial role in advancing inclusive economic empowerment, by delivering tailored solutions to underserved communities, such as in the cases of mobile banking for smallholders and inclusive finance platforms. Particular attention is given to food security and food sovereignty, with a focus on empowering smallholder farmers, by enhancing agro-industrial sectors like coffee and cocoa, advancing ownership structures – such as community-based energy access to drive social mobility – and developing sustainable ecotourism models that align environmental stewardship with local livelihoods. The Lab positions itself as a strategic actor in redefining Italy’s global cultural, economic, and social presence by supporting the reorientation of Italian Economic Diplomacy toward high- and medium-potential alternative markets, particularly in Africa and Latin America. This approach aligns with the objectives of the Mattei Plan and the EU’s Global Gateway initiative and promotes a strategic triangulation among the three regions. Central to this effort is the recognition of the Italian global diaspora as a driver of cultural relations, the empowerment of communities abroad as connectors between diverse contexts, and the promotion of the Italian language and heritage as tools of soft power. Moving beyond a reductive focus on language alone, the AfroLatAmLAB advances a broader concept of Italophony as a multidimensional vehicle of international engagement. In this context, the forthcoming First Italophony Summit represents a key milestone to consolidate this vision, institutionalize new forms of cooperation, and position cultural diplomacy as a core pillar of Italy’s international strategy.

Head of Unit

  • Marco Massoni

    Marco Massoni

    Marco Massoni (PhD, Rome 1972) is an independent political analyst and international relations expert, specialist in Africa, Latin America, and Extra-Western philosophies. Since 2022, he has been teaching African Studies at LUISS University of Rome. As of 2025, he directs the Africa and Latin America Research Unit at LUISS’s Centre for International and Strategic Studies (CISS). Previously, he served as Diplomatic Senior Advisor for the Italian G8 Presidency and worked with the EU, OSCE, UN (FAO, UNHCR), NGOs, and think tanks. From 2011 to 2017, he was Director of African Research at IRAD at the Italian Centre for Defence Higher Studies (CASD), where he still lectures. He was Editorial Director of the quarterly Politica Africana. He has taught Development Studies at The American University of Rome (AUR) and International Law and Peace Processes at Roma Tre University. He is a consultant of the European Union External Action Service (EEAS) and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), extensive experience in the field of democratisation processes, electoral observation & electoral assistance, diplomacy & negotiation, cyber-diplomacy, human rights & humanitarian law, mediation, peacebuilding & conflict resolution, post-war reconstruction and strategic studies.

Researcher

  • Valentino Trenga

    Valentino Trenga

    Valentino holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in International Relations from LUISS University in Rome, graduating with top marks and honors. He completed his master’s degree through a double degree programme with MGIMO University in Moscow, majoring in Global Governance. He works at Revolut as a FinCrime & Sanctions Analyst and has gained professional experience in International Sanctions, Trade Law, EU Law, and Global Governance across governmental institutions, IOs, law firms, and diplomatic missions. He has a strong personal interest in political–diplomatic, and international finance dynamics, with a particular focus on developing countries of the Islamic world, Africa, and the Americas.

  • Yuchen Xia

    Yuchen Xia

    Yuchen Xia earned her Bachelor’s degree in International Politics from Liaoning University in China and then completed the double Master’s in Diplomacy jointly awarded by China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU) and LUISS Guido Carli. She just started a Master’s in International Economics at the Graduate Institute (IHEID) in Geneva. Her work focuses on the evolving international positioning of Latin America, with a particular interest in triangular cooperation, South–South development frameworks, and interregional dynamics between Latin America, Africa, and Europe. She is especially engaged in exploring the intersections of global development, finance, and institutional partnerships.

  • Jose Luis Rhi-Sausi

    José Luis Rhi-Sausi

    José Luis-Rhi Sausi, an economist, former Director at Rome based CeSPI (Centre for International Political Studies), is a senior expert at the Italo-Latin American International Organization (IILA), where he focuses on international cooperation and socio-economic issues. He has contributed to numerous studies and initiatives centered on Latin American integration, human rights, and migration policies. He is the author and co-author of academic publications and policy papers, as well as a speaker at international conferences and seminars. He has actively participated in multilateral projects and collaborated with academic institutions, international organizations, and research centers. His work has made a significant contribution to strategic studies and programs aimed at promoting regional Latin American integration, human rights, the governance of international migration, and the strengthening of political, economic, and cultural ties between Europe and Latin America. Thanks to his experience and expertise, he is now regarded as one of the most authoritative and influential voices in the dialogue between the two continents.

  • Manuel Anselmi

    Manuel Anselmi

    Manuel Anselmi (Civita Castellana, 1975) is an Associate Professor of Political Sociology at the University of Bergamo. He has obtained the National Scientific Habilitation as Full Professor in Political Sociology. His research areas include political ideologies, theories of populism, penal populism, and Latin American politics, with a particular focus on revolutionary Bolivarianism. He is the editor of the “Lessico Democratico” series for Mondadori Università and “Democrazie e Conflitti” for Meltemi Editore. He has conducted research and taught at numerous foreign universities, including the University of Kentucky, FLACSO Ecuador, Universidad de Salamanca, the London School of Economics, and Loyola University in New Orleans.

  • Helena Semedo

    Maria Helena Semedo

    Maria Helena Semedo, former FAO Deputy Director General (Climate and Natural Resources) between 2013 and 2024, is an economist and politician from Cape Verde. As leading expert in global development issues, she has worked in public service for over thirty years. She was FAO’s representative in Niger, then Deputy Regional Representative for Africa and Sub-regional Coordinator for West Africa. She also worked as an economist for the Cabo Verde Ministry of Planning and Cooperation, became Secretary of State for Fisheries, and then Minister for Fisheries, Agriculture and Rural Affairs – the first-ever woman Minister in her country. After serving as Minister for Tourism, Transportation and Marine Affairs from 1995-1998, she became Member of Parliament until 2003.

  • Giulia Tranchina

    Giulia Tranchina

    Giulia Tranchina is a Master’s student in Global Management and Politics, part of a Double Degree programme between LUISS University and Nova School of Business and Economics in Lisbon, where she cultivated a strong academic and professional interest in Africa and Latin America. Her research focuses on economic development strategies and regional cooperation in these regions. She previously interned at the Sahel and West Africa Club (SWAC) at OECD in Paris, where she contributed to analyses on regional dynamics and development policies. Through an internship at the Italian Embassy in Brazil, she gained experience in Latin American affairs, as she deepened her understanding of Brazil’s domestic and foreign policies. She is passionate about exploring how regional integration and investment can support sustainable development across emerging economies.

  • Giustino Luberti

    Giustino Luberti

    Graduate from the University of Oxford with a Master of Science in African Studies, Giustino Luberti is an expert in African politics and security. His research interests span from elections and political systems to defence, geopolitics and civil-military relations. His geographical focus is on Sub-Saharan Africa, with a detailed attention to Southern Africa and specifically Mozambique. His most recent work analysed the election strategies of opposition politicians in Mozambique, and he conducted his research with a period of fieldwork in Maputo. He is an aspiring scholar, eager to produce knowledge on the politics of the continent with an Afrocentric approach and methodological innovation.

  • Glauco Calzuola

    Glauco Calzuola is an international consultant and former EU Ambassador with extensive experience in international relations, development, and Europe-Africa relations. His career began as an infrastructure engineer before transitioning to roles within the European Commission. A significant portion of his work has been focused on fostering cooperation and development in Africa. He served as Head of Delegation in Rwanda from 1997 to 2000. Following this, he returned to HQ to lead negotiations with West African and Central African countries. His expertise led to his appointment as EU Ambassador in Angola in 2002, where he served until 2006, followed by a similar role in Mozambique from 2006 to 2011. These ambassadorships highlight his skills in diplomacy and managing international relations at a high level. From 2011 to 2015, he served at the General Directorate for International Cooperation and Development. His career reflects a deep commitment to international development and cooperation, particularly within the African context.

  • Ibrahim Assane Mayaki

    Ibrahim Assane Mayaki

    Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Niger. Previously he worked as senior manager of the uranium industry in Niger. He is a former Chief Executive Officer of the NPCA (New Partnership for Africa’s Development-NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency), which he transformed into the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) between 2009 and 2022, and he is former President of the OECD Sahel and West Africa Club (SWAC). He graduated from the Ecole Nationale d’Administration Publique of Quebec, Canada and holds a PhD in Administrative Sciences from the University of Paris I. Since 2022, he has been co-teaching the course on African Politics and Institutions at LUISS University in Rome. Since 2023, he has been the African Union Special Envoy for Food Systems.

  • Abdelkarim Skouri

    Abdelkarim Skouri

    Abdelkarim Skouri is the Research Unit Coordinator at CISS and Teaching Assistant for the African Politics and Institutions course at LUISS University. He is also a Research Associate at the Mediterranean Platform – LUISS School of Government, focusing on governance, regional integration, and Mediterranean-Africa relations, particularly in the Global South. He holds a Master’s in International Relations from LUISS, and previously studied Political Science at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (Rabat) and Sciences Po (Paris). His academic interests include security, diplomacy, and political economy in the MENA region. He has interned at institutions such as the International Chamber of Commerce, IDRN, and the International Affairs Institute, and is the founder of the LUISS Students Diplomatic Association (LUSDA).