Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, will be the guest of honour at the event “Objective Export” taking place today in Bari. He is answering the questions of the Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno on the day news broke of the signing of a preliminary peace agreement between the United States and Iran, which has repeatedly faded in recent months. This news is welcome with caution.
Mr. Minister, for the event “Objective Export” in Bari, the Directors of the ITA offices of countries such as Albania, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Turkey will be present, as well as diplomatic/trade representatives from countries such as Algeria, South Korea, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Morocco, Mexico, Romania, Serbia, and Tunisia. Can we say that the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, combined with tariff tensions with the United States, are further enhancing the strategic leverage of exports and the need to open new markets, as well as strengthen positions with our country’s traditional partners?
“The negotiations between the United States and Iran are producing encouraging news: caution is warranted, considering the situation in the Middle East. A true truce needs to be followed by diplomatic negotiations, but, if we are to be optimistic, a path leading to peace in the region is possible. The reopening of Hormuz could be a significant boost to the economy, both in the Gulf and in Europe and worldwide. Let us focus on exports with the outbreak of the tariff crisis; a year ago, we understood that the international trade scenario was deeply changing. We therefore launched an “Export Action Plan,” integrating the tools of ITA, CDP, SACE, and SIMEST and launching new measures to support our companies in high-potential markets. In 2025 alone, we organized 50 business forums in many countries, ranging from India to Japan, from Turkey to the United Arab Emirates, from Saudi Arabia to Algeria, Mexico, South Korea, and in Africa, Senegal. We involved more than 7,500 companies. Results proved us right: in 2025, despite the uncertainty, our exports grew by 3.3%, reaching a record €643 billion. We are getting ever closer to the goal of exceeding €700 billion.”
What is the concrete purpose of the Bari Conference?
“The Italian System meets with businesses: in Bari, our diplomats and officials from CDP, ITA, SIMEST, and SACE will have over 500 scheduled meetings with companies to guide and assist them into international markets. The goal is to provide all the tools needed to identify the right markets for those working to export. Our country’s exports account for approximately 40% of GDP: they are the backbone of our economy, the necessary support for the country’s economic development. If the labour market in Italy is dynamic and employment is growing, it is largely due to what we export worldwide.”
Your presence in our Region strengthens the Foreign Ministry’s feeling of proximity to these areas, which suffer from a historic gap, including in infrastructure. Can closer collaboration enhance Southern Italy’s specific production capabilities? And how?
This year, I wanted the end-of-year National Export Conference to be preceded by three events dedicated to Northern, Southern, and Central Italy. We are in Bari with the entire Italian System to listen to the regions and our businesses, building an export strategy that takes into account the specificities of Southern Italy. The Southern regions have everything they need to compete internationally: a manufacturing base, talented young people, financial incentives, innovative startups, and their products are recognized as Made in Italy excellence. In recent months, the Southern regions have recorded export increases even greater than other areas of the country. The ability of your entrepreneurs makes the difference. The government shall face decisive challenges: I am thinking of high-speed rail for the entire South, but also of the modernisation of the airport system and that of Southern ports. The State’s task is to modernize the structures of the South and provide its entrepreneurs the opportunity to produce and export competitively”.
In our Region, exports in the first quarter of 2026 amounted to €2,384 million, up 9.8% compared to the same period in 2025, largely thanks to non-EU countries. Do you believe that EU enlargement to the Western Balkans will open up new development prospects for the South and for this Region, which is a historic bridge between East and West?
“Your Region’s exports reflect its productive fabric, where a large number of SMEs active in traditional sectors are matched by districts of excellence in leading sectors such as aerospace, information technology, and advanced manufacturing. In 2025 trade flows, evenly distributed within the European Union and non-EU markets, grew by 2.6% compared to the previous year and reached a total value of €9.9 billion. In the first quarter, exports, worth €2.4 billion, recorded strong growth, especially outside the EU, with peaks in the United States (+31.6%) and Japan (+75.3%), and very good performances also in some EU markets. Your Region certainly enjoys a significant strategic advantage, confirmed by its centrality in the Mediterranean and the Balkans, for the transit of strategic infrastructure corridors such as Imec (the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor; ed.), a strategic infrastructure project created to connect India to Europe, and for the TAP, which provides significant energy security”.
As you know, since May 24, Apulian citizens Dina Alberizia (a retired teacher from Foggia) and Nico Centrone (a documentary filmmaker and university professor from Molfetta), both volunteers for the Flotilla’s Land Convoy, have been detained in Benghazi, Libya. There is concern for them in our Region.
“The Italian government is closely monitoring the case of these two Flotilla activists, blocked in Cyrenaica by local authorities. We had advised the activists against travelling from Tripoli to Benghazi, crossing the ceasefire line between Eastern and Western Libya. Our Consul in Benghazi has met with the two activists and continues to press for their release, coordinating with their lawyers. We ask that our two compatriots be released as soon as possible.”
