Rome, Italy - 5 April 2016
Pakistan Trade & Investment Forum 2016
Rome, 5 April 2016 - With the aim to enhance the economic cooperation between Pakistan and Italy and to promote investment opportunities in the country a First high level Pakistan Trade and Investment Forum took place in Rome on 5 April 2016 at the International Conference Room of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. More than 200 participants from the Italian Business community attended the event organized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry for Economic Development, in collaboration with UNIDO ITPO Italy, ICE/ITA Agency, Confindustria and the Embassy of Pakistan in Italy.
During the opening session, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Paolo Gentiloni stated that “Pakistan represents a significant investment opportunity for Italian enterprises”. The opening session was followed by the Deputy Minister for Economic Development Ivan Scalfarotto and the President of the Board of Investment of Pakistan, Miftah Ismail Miftah, who expressed "this is the time to invest in Pakistan because the Country will become one of the best markets in the next 20 years", inviting Italian companies to "come and see with their own eyes.", and. During the forum, moderated by the Head of UNIDO ITPO Italy, Diana Battaggia, many sectors were explored in-depth: infrastructure, agro food, pharmaceuticals, energy, machinery for processing marble and ceramics, textiles and automotive. The event counted with the interventions of Italian representatives from ICE; SACE; Simest and Confindustria; and the Pakistani ones: Punjab Board of Investment and Trade and Sindh Board of Investment which gave an overview about the opportunities to invest in Pakistan. The current trade between the two countries is around $300 million. And FDI from Italy is around $200 million which needs to be enhanced. Concluding remarks were addressed by the Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Benedetto Della Vedova.
In the afternoon, around 100 bilateral meetings were carried out between Italian businesses and Pakistan’s business delegation. For the occasion, UNIDO ITPO Italy set up a business platform exchange to facilitate the meetings.
As a follow-up to the event, a mission in Pakistan has been planned for second semester 2016 in order to explore the investment and business opportunities in the Country.
