Deputy Minister Manlio Di Stefano spoke today at the presentation of the 2020 Report of the OICE (Association of engineering, architecture and technical-economic consulting organisations).
“In these difficult months we have maintained close relations with the major trade associations, including the OICE, especially in view of the growing international projection of the member companies, which today accounts for over 60%. It is also thanks to these interactions that the “Pact for Export” measures were developed.
According to the Report, Italian construction companies currently operate in 92 countries, in 5 continents, and are involved in over 800 projects, for a total value of over 82 billion euros, plus 25.5 billion concessions. Geographically, Asia ranks first in terms of value of production (50.9%), followed by Africa (23.1%), with a significant increase in Central Asia, compared to 2018 (from 5.5% to 18.2%).
“We have developed an important dialogue with the Central Asian authorities,” the Deputy Minister stressed, “following the visits I made in the region, between 2018 and 2019, in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, and which culminated in the Italy-Central Asia Conference held at the Foreign Ministry in December 2019, which brought the Foreign Ministers of those 5 countries together in Rome. These contacts paved the way for the subsequent access of Italian companies to these Countries. I believe that this, too, is the role of our foreign policy and diplomacy, also because our Country is increasingly relying on exports (one third of our GDP) and internationalisation”.
The Report shows that 84% of OICE member companies have welcomed the support of the Italian institutional and economic system for their activities abroad (Foreign Ministry, Embassies, Consulates, ICE). “The consistent and increasingly strong support by Government, and especially the Foreign Ministry, is fundamental to enable Italian companies to continue to effectively compete on international markets.” – the Deputy Minister concluded.