On 15 August, Undersecretary Silli travelled to Asunción to represent Italy at the inauguration ceremony of the new President of the Republic of Paraguay, Santiago Peña. Undersecretary Silli had the opportunity to emphasise the excellent state of bilateral relations between the two countries, as strengthened by the sharing of common values such as democracy and the rule of law. This was during a mission that shortly followed Italian President Mattarella’s historic first visit to Paraguay. During his stay, Silli emphasised the potential of trade relations, the importance of cooperation to jointly combat criminal phenomena, and highlighted Rome’s candidacy to host EXPO 2030. Finally, the Undersecretary met representatives of the Italian community and a delegation from the Italian‑Paraguayan Chamber of Commerce.