Undersecretary Tripodi participated, by videoconference, in the Assembly of the ASEAN countries’ Italian Chambers of Commerce held in Singapore.
She pointed out: “There is no doubt that the Indo-Pacific region is of strategic importance for Italy. In terms of location, growth, and propensity for innovation, ASEAN has now acquired a central role in the geopolitical and economic balance of the world, and the Italian government is determined to increasingly assist our companies in their penetration into these markets. In this regard, the Italian Chambers of Commerce, an integral part of the country system, play a fundamental role, not least because of their ability to create networks of contacts for the benefit of our entrepreneurs.”
With a population of around 700 million inhabitants and a constantly positive GDP growth rate – forecast at 4.7 per cent for 2024 and 2025 – ASEAN is in fact one of the most promising regions in the world. In the first eleven months of 2024, our exports grew by 8.3 per cent compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching EUR 9.6 billion, driven mainly by the mechanical, fashion, chemical and agri-food sectors. Furthermore, the Asian Development Bank, of which Italy is a founding country, and which will hold its next annual meeting in Milan, is a leading partner in facilitating strategic and infrastructure investment in the region.
Undersecretary Tripoli concluded: “While these figures are encouraging, we must work even harder to exploit the full potential of the region and establish and intensify the presence of Italian companies, especially in technology-intensive sectors. The Chambers of Commerce and their members can certainly rely on the full support of the Italian government!” She also recalled that, as part of the strategy of growth diplomacy promoted by Minister Tajani, our Embassies, Consulates, ITA Offices and the entire Internationalisation Team (SACE, SIMEST, CdP) are central to supporting Italian economic activities abroad.
