Cirielli: “New priority countries for cooperation in Central Asia and the Caucasus”
The Deputy Foreign Minister on the sidelines of Codeway Expo, a fair that looks at Africa but not only
ROME – Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, in Central Asia, and Armenia, in the Caucasus, will be new priority countries for Italian cooperation: this is the indication given by Deputy Minister Edmondo Cirielli > in an interview with the Dire agency on the sidelines of Codeway Expo. In the foreground, in his declarations, are the opportunities linked to the dialogue between the public sector and private companies in the context of sustainability and growth at a global level. Cirielli, who is deputy minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, has just returned from a mission in Kyrgyzstan, a former Soviet republic.
“With Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and obviously in agreement with Minister Antonio Tajani”, he underlines, “we have long since decided that Central Asia constitutes a fundamental geostrategic element for the security of the world and for the security of ‘economy”. Cirielli explains: “It’s not for nothing that the ancient Silk Road was directed to China but it wasn’t from China; it was above all Central Asia and the Caucasus, they were the two seas, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea” . The deputy minister adds: “It is clear that there is a desire for our presence in the countries most in difficulty, which most need development support”. Cirielli specifies the framework and prospective objectives. “I am thinking of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, in Central Asia, and Armenia, in the Caucasus” says the deputy minister: “They must represent a priority for Italy and in this sense we have decided to include them in the three-year development cooperation plan”.
“WITH ITALIAN COMPANIES AFRICA BECOMES AN OPPORTUNITY ‘“
The Mattei Plan needs Italian companies for Africa to become in all respects “a great opportunity”: thus the deputy minister of Foreign Affairs and international cooperation, Edmondo Cirielli, in an interview with the Direagency. The occasion is Codeway Expo, an event organized by Fiera Roma and Internationalia which aims to be a platform for dialogue between public institutions and the business world with a view to supporting sustainability at a global level.
According to Cirielli, “the Italian economic and business world can be exported as a virtuous model to help Africa grow”. The deputy minister reflects on development cooperation and at the same time on national perspectives and interests: “Certainly there is a desire to do good but it is clear that, given that we are the European country that borders ‘Africa, if we are dealing with a continent that is rich and has a large market, a great opportunity is created, while if we are dealing with a continent that is poor our economy suffers.” Starting today, Codeway is underway in the pavilions of Fiera Roma until Friday.
BOCCALI: CODEWAY IS AT THE SERVICE OF THE FOREIGN POLICY OF ITALY ‘ITALY
“A relationship fair” that aims to create opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises and at the same time “serve Italy’s foreign policy”: this is Codeway Expo, in the perspective of its coordinator, Wladimiro Mugs. His words were spoken at the opening of the event. “We want to be a platform at the service of Italian foreign policy” said Boccali of the three days, organized by Fiera Roma with Internationalia. “Today, ten years after Law 125 of 2014 on development cooperation which provided for the possibility of giving a role to small and medium-sized Italian businesses, there is a need for SMEs to be put in a position to operate and build relationships”.
