On October 8th, Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, arrived in São Paulo to participate in the opening of the Italy-Brazil Entrepreneurial Forum. This event brought together over 300 representatives from Italian and Brazilian businesses, as well as influential Italian trade associations like Confapi and Confindustria. The forum focused on fostering sector-specific collaborations, particularly in agribusiness, infrastructure, energy and biofuels, industrial machinery, mining technology, and water treatment.
A significant highlight of the forum was the signing of new financial agreements to reinforce Italian investment in Latin America. Among these was a landmark collaboration between Italy’s Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, SACE, and Banco do Brasil. This partnership introduces a €250 million funding line dedicated to reconstruction initiatives in Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul region and supporting energy transition projects. Additionally, SIMEST and Invest São Paulo have agreed, alongside new contracts between Italian and Brazilian firms for a logistics port project in Aracruz.
Minister Tajani emphasized Italy’s goal to expand exports to €700 billion by 2026, underscoring the strategic importance of Latin America as a region for growth and mutual investment. He urged Italian businesses to deepen their partnerships within Latin America to leverage the region’s economic potential and support Italy’s long-term export targets. In his words, “The Italian System must strengthen itself in Latin America,” reflecting a broader ambition for Italy to solidify its presence and drive sustainable economic cooperation across the region.
Source: INSME Secretariat
