The Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Manlio Di Stefano, spoke today in Milan as he opened the inaugural session of 50th edition of Gastech 2022, the main international fair and conference on the sector of natural gas, LNG and low environmental impact solutions.
In his speech, the Undersecretary chiefly focused on the consequences, for energy markets, of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and on the measures the Italian government has fielded to diversify procurement sources and reduce reliance on Russian gas.
In this regard, Mr Di Stefano stressed the partnership agreements Italy entered into with Algeria, Azerbaijan, United States, Qatar, Congo, Angola and Mozambique in order to diversify its supply of fossil fuels, as well as the MoUs on sustainable development signed with several countries.
“Today, our priority is to set a European price cap for gas, in order to support families and enterprises, and to reduce the huge proceeds with which Russia, by selling gas, funds the war in Ukraine”, the Undersecretary added.
From the very beginning, Italy has backed the action taken by the European Commission through the REPower EU Plan, which urges Member States to step up coordination so as to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and create an integrated and sustainable energy production and consumption system. In this regard, Mr Di Stefano pointed out that the existing infrastructure, duly modified, could be used to convey green hydrogen, which can contribute significantly to the fight against climate change and to European energy security.
“Italian enterprises, owing to their remarkable expertise and great experience in the energy sector, can put Italy at the forefront in the green transition and contribute to the creation of a more sustainable and resilient European energy network”, the Undersecretary concluded.