Italy is ready to participate in the reconstruction of Karabakh in many aspects, according to Manuela Traldi, Italian chair of the Azerbaijan-Italy Chamber of Commerce, told journalists in Rome, Report informs.
Traldi noted that the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Italy has always been dynamic.
"For example, in 2013, our trade turnover was over $8 billion. However, in the last few years, especially after the opening of the TAP pipeline, we have seen a steady increase in the figure. As a result, we observed an increase to about $17 billion in trade turnover. This year has started a bit differently in terms of indicators, but this does not mean that something is wrong in bilateral relations, as our bilateral ties are constantly developing," she said.
Traldi emphasized that it would be premature to discuss the increase or decrease in trade turnover before the end of the year. "We have many joint projects, and I expect them to develop further in the future. Therefore, it would be better to wait until the end of the year to see the full volume of trade turnover and know the exact increase or decrease," Traldi added.
The co-chair also stated that the current goal of the Italian government in relations with Azerbaijan is to increase the share of exports. "There is a big gap between imports from Azerbaijan and exports to Azerbaijan. Exports from Italy to Azerbaijan are at a low level. However, there are many opportunities for cooperation. Thus, we would like to see not only export figures but also project opportunities for the development of Italian companies' activities. Looking at the overall picture, we see that more and more opportunities are opening up for Italian companies, and we hope that new opportunities will open up, especially in Karabakh. Italy has always supported Azerbaijan on the Karabakh issue. We can participate in the reconstruction of Karabakh in many aspects," she emphasized.
Touching upon President Ilham Aliyev's business trip to Italy, Traldi stressed that this visit is of great importance in terms of the development of bilateral relations.
"Relations between the leaders of the two countries are at a high level. The Italian President visited Baku in 2018, and in February 2020, just before the start of COVID-19, the President of Azerbaijan made a very important visit to Italy. The impact of reciprocal visits on bilateral relations is very positive. During this visit, several memorandums are expected to be signed between our countries, further strengthening our relations. Besides these cooperation agreements, a document for the sale of Italian machinery is also anticipated. Italy is renowned for its robust industrial sector," she pointed out.
Traldi also mentioned that they are currently focusing on attracting investments to Azerbaijan: "We are doing this in various ways, trying to promote Azerbaijan in Italy. We have several projects in this direction and work very closely with Azerbaijan's investment companies, AZPROMO, and the Ministry of Economy. The initial outlook is very positive, as we will have joint ventures that will bring Italian technologies to the business and production environment in Azerbaijan."
Joint ventures will mainly focus on the industrial sector, such as petrochemicals, all metal production in Azerbaijan, etc. Another area we pay close attention to is agriculture. I cannot give details due to the confidentiality policy, but we have several projects that will help the future development of Azerbaijani agriculture in particular. We also have technologies for healthcare," she added.
The co-chair of the Azerbaijan-Italy Chamber of Commerce concluded by stating that cooperation can be deepened in all areas where Italians are known to do well, particularly in the food industry, as well as leather processing, shoe production, and all textile sectors: "Textiles are another area where Italy can do a good job."
