A statement released on the official website of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers indicates that at the meeting, held at the Chigi Palace, seat of the Italian government, both leaders addressed global challenges, in particular the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as political and economic issues of common interest.
After concluding the contact, investments from that Arab nation in Italy for some 40 billion dollars were announced, and 14 government agreements were signed, as well as more than 30 between companies from the respective countries, including one on cooperation in the defense sector. The two leaders agreed to develop a comprehensive strategic partnership, focusing in particular on cooperation in the most future-oriented sectors of the economy, leveraging Italian and Emirati innovation capacity in strategic areas.
Highlights include initiatives to develop Artificial Intelligence, the creation of data centres, advanced industry and new technologies, as well as digital and energy interconnections, underwater technologies, critical minerals and space, the note said.
As part of this first state visit to Rome by a UAE president, the Italy-UAE Business Forum was held at the Parco dei Principi Hotel.
The event was hosted by the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, and the Emirati Minister for Foreign Trade, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, and was attended by some 200 representatives of the most important companies from both countries.
The Italian prime minister and the UAE president joined the event to attend the signing of the agreements, on which occasion Meloni gave a speech in which she stressed that this nation “is already the second European partner of the Emirates.” “National exports are growing at a steady pace, and the investments of our companies in the Emirati economy have increased by 50.0 percent in the last five years,” she emphasized.
The head of government stressed that “the United Arab Emirates has decided to invest 40 billion dollars in our economy, a demonstration of confidence in Italy,” and for this reason she asserted that “this is a day that I consider historic,” the source added.
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