“A result of strategic value” were the words used by Italian Ambassador in
Baku, Augusto Massari, to define the important Twinning project with the Ministry of Agriculture of Azerbaijan awarded to the Italian Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies and Tourism (MIPAAFT). The project will be entirely sponsored with funds from the European Union.
The project, which is scheduled to kick off next spring, envisages presence of an Italian expert from the Region of Umbria inside the local Ministry for two years.
The project, which also provides for the participation of the governmental agencies of Poland and Lithuania, aims to build the capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture to reform and improve the Government’s system of giving subsidies to the agricultural sector. Other aspects concern rural development and aligning Azerbaijan’s public policies with European best practices. Italy, on its part, will make available the competencies of the MIPAAFT, the AGEA (Agricultural Payments Agency) and of regional administrations.
According to Ambassador Massari, this success “will enable us to expand the privileged relations between Italy and Azerbaijan in a sector that Baku considers of primary importance to diversify its economy.” He went on: “We see this project also as an instrument to leverage our companies, which will be able to find new opportunities to cooperate with Azerbaijan in developing the growth potential in the sector of agriculture.”
The assignment appears to confirm a positive season in the relations between Italy and Azerbaijan, which was crowned by the State Visit by President Mattarella last July. It also represents the confirmation of the Foreign Ministry’s commitment to intensify Italy’s participation in the EU internationalisation and strategic projection instruments in order to establish a sound network of relations with the public administrations of Partner Countries.
