Rome, October 11th - "Somalia is growing country with unexplored economic opportunities and great business capacity for economic and social development": this was the opening of the Somalia Roundtable, held at Hotel Le Meridien (Rome), organized by UNIDO ITPO Italy and UNIDO Somalia. " The conference is part of the project “Agro-technology development for economic growth In South and Central Somalia”, funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and implemented by UNIDO.

The event has been enriched by the institutional remarks of H.E. Abdirahman Sheik Issa, Ambassador of Somalia in Italy as well as by the presence of Dr. Abdiaziz Ibrahim Adan, General Director of the Federal Government of Somalia Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Mr. Ahmed Elmi, Advisor to the federal Government of Somalia Minister of Commerce and Industry.

The conference has been organized to present the upcoming Italy-Somalia Business Forum, which will take place in Mogadishu on December 10th-11th: an interesting chance organized by UNIDO ITPO Italy and UNIDO Somalia to facilitate new synergies between Italian and Somali companies through multiple sessions of BtoB and BtoG meetings. "Somalia and Italy have long-time business relations," said Abdiaziz Adan - "therefore we are delighted to present today the Somali Business Forum, which will be held on December 10-11 in Mogadishu."

Over 50 Italian companies joined the roundtable, learning more on Somalia business opportunities within the agro-industry, fishery, social housing and renewable energy sectors. "A new private economic mainly based on the private sector is emerging in Somalia" said UNIDO Experts. "Banking and financial sectors are the growing ones of this emerging economy of Somalia" added Ahmed Elmi, "a Country that is today a fruitful environment for foreign investors".

The project “Agro-technology development for economic growth In South and Central Somalia” aims at stimulating employment and economic opportunities for entrepreneurial development and technical assistance for the Federal Government of Somalia and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.