Arab-Italian Business Forum Convenes in Rome: Calls for Strategic Arab-Italian Alliances and Partnerships in Industry and Technology Sectors

  • Italy
  • 29 January 2025
3

The President of the Union of Arab Chambers, President of the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts, Samir Majoul, confirmed during the opening of the Arab-Italian Economic Forum held in Rome, Italy, jointly organized by the Joint Arab-Italian Chamber and the Union of Arab Chambers, in the presence of the Secretary-General of the Union of Arab Chambers, Dr. Khaled Hanafi, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the President of the Joint Arab-Italian Chamber, Pietro Paolo Rampino, the President of the Federation of Italian Chambers of Commerce, Andrea Preti, and the Dean of Arab Ambassadors in Rome, Ambassador Ashman Abdul Hamid Al-Touqi, in addition to official and economic figures from the Arab and Italian sides, that “The Arab region and Italy today face complex and unprecedented challenges, such as climate change, the acceleration of digital transformation, and the need to achieve inclusive economic growth. However, these challenges also represent launching pads for promising opportunities that allow us to reshape our cooperation and enhance our shared strengths, contributing to the achievement of added value that extends across borders.” He noted the importance of “highlighting three main pillars of our joint cooperation. The first pillar is based on sustainability as a strategic priority, as addressing the challenges of water scarcity and climate change requires the adoption of innovative technologies, such as smart agriculture and renewable energy, which gives us the opportunity to lead the shift towards sustainable development globally. The second pillar is based on technological transformation, as the combination of Italian expertise in advanced technology and the Arab world’s ambitious development vision represents a strong foundation for innovating solutions that enhance the flexibility of our economies and enable them to face the challenges of the future. While the third pillar is based on investing in the human element, as the human being remains the most valuable resource in our partnership, through enhancing education, developing skills, and promoting knowledge exchange between our two regions, to ensure building more inclusive and stronger societies.”

He stressed that "the Union of Arab Chambers continues its commitment to supporting economic integration and promoting initiatives that contribute to achieving shared prosperity. In this context, Italy is a strategic partner and a vital path for innovation and sustainable growth."

For his part, Secretary-General of the Union of Arab Chambers, Dr. Khaled Hanafi, stressed that "the Italian-Arab Business Forum represents a vital platform for building distinguished trade relations, as we witnessed in 2023 alone the volume of trade between Italy and Arab countries exceeding 50 billion euros, an increase of 12 percent compared to 2022."

He stressed that "the remarkable growth reflects the extent of the promising potential that we can invest in, especially in vital areas such as sustainable financing, infrastructure, and digital transformation," noting that "our partnership today is no longer an option but a necessity. With the Arab region’s GDP expected to grow by 4.1 percent this year, and Italy becoming the third-largest economy in the European Union, the time is right to deepen our partnerships and expand their impact. This Forum is a space for discussion and a tool to advance a shared vision. From Italian innovations in green building technologies to agricultural technology developments in the Arab world to address water scarcity, every sector we discuss today contributes to strengthening the foundations of sustainable development.”

The Secretary-General of the Federation pointed out that “our vision in the Union of Arab Chambers extends beyond borders, to achieve resilient and comprehensive growth. Through initiatives such as the “Mattei Plan”, we are on the cusp of a new phase of cooperation, not only between Italy and the Arab countries but also extending to our neighbors in Africa. In doing so, we are addressing pressing issues such as adaptation to climate change and achieving fair and inclusive growth.”

For his part, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, stressed the depth of the Arab-Italian relations, noting the development of economic relations between the two sides in recent years. Considering that "Italy's positions on Arab issues are balanced, and this has become clear recently, especially during the war on Gaza and Lebanon, this opens new horizons for further cooperation and promising opportunities in the field of various and diverse economic and development projects that achieve the goals of both the Arab and Italian sides.”

He noted that "at a time when the Arab region needs to gain new expertise in areas related to advanced technology, the Italian side also undoubtedly needs to inject new vitality into its economy after difficult years that have plagued the global economy in general since the outbreak of the Corona pandemic and the subsequent geopolitical tensions in the European space. I believe that the promising Arab market with its potential is an ideal destination for Italy, not only as a huge consumer market, but primarily as a destination for investment, partnership and employment in many emerging projects and promising sectors such as energy (both hydrocarbon and clean), information technology, traditional industries and many other promising sectors.”

The President of the Arab-Italian Chamber, Pietro Paolo Rampino, the President of the Federation of Italian Chambers of Commerce, Andrea Preti, and the Dean of Arab Ambassadors in Rome, Ambassador Ashman Abdul Hamid Al-Touqi, also delivered speeches at the opening of the conference. The speeches focused on the need to strengthen trade and investment relations between Italy and the Arab world, in various fields and sectors, especially in the technological sectors. The importance of moving the relationship between the two sides from the current reality to the level of strategic partnership, given the potential and capabilities that both Italy and the Arab world possess.

The Secretary-General of the Union, Dr. Khaled Hanafi, met with the Director of the Italian Promotion Agency, in the presence of the President of the Joint Arab-Italian Chamber, Pietro Paol Rampino, where they discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the Arab and Italian private sectors through the Union of Arab Chambers and the Italian Promotion Agency, in many sectors and fields. Dr. Khaled Hanfy pointed out that "it was agreed during the meeting on the necessity of establishing joint alliances, and the necessity of the Italian Promotion Agency strengthening its activities in the Arab region, by establishing partnerships with Arab governments and the private sector, through technology projects, as Italian companies are pioneers in this field. In addition to cooperation in establishing industrial zones and clusters in Arab countries, which contributes to enhancing mutual investments between the Arab and Italian sides."

Source (Union of Arab Chambers)

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