On 17th February 2023 UNIDO ITPO Italy Head Ms. Diana Battaggia met Her Excellency Ms. Quessep Bitar, new Ambassador of Colombia to Italy, to discuss how to reinforce partnerships in order to address common challenges and promote sustainable business practices for Colombian SMEs.

Building strong partnerships among different stakeholders, such as government agencies, academic institutions and the private sector, is key: this is why, by working together, UNIDO ITPO Italy and other Italian stakeholders can create a supportive environment for Colombian SMEs, helping them to grow and contribute to the economic development of Colombia.

As a first step in this direction, Ms. Battaggia and H.E. the Ambassador explored the possibility to organize some initiatives to transfer the best practices of the Italian tanning industry to Colombian SMEs, with the goal to improve their operations, increase their efficiency and potentially reduce their environmental impact.