The fifteenth edition of the Bank of Italy – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation annual conference, which took place this morning at Palazzo Koch in Rome, opened with remarks by Gian Luca Trequattrini, Secretary to the Governing Board of the Bank of Italy, delivered on behalf of Governor Fabio Panetta. Ambassador Riccardo Guariglia, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affair, then spoke on behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani.
The conference, organized in two sessions, addressed the new context of global geopolitical fragmentation. In particular, it focused on:
- The implications of fragmentation for the global economy and international cooperation. This session analysed the economic costs of fragmentation, which stems from the reduced movement of goods, services, ideas and people between economies. It also looked at how a more divided world has negatively affected the ability of the international community to tackle major global challenges, such as climate change and the risk of new pandemics.
- The economic, social and political challenges for Africa and the relations between Italy and Europe and the African continent. Africa's population is young and its economy, despite lagging behind in some areas, has significant potential for growth. Africa has become a key player in the supply of fundamental resources and, for some time now, has been a battlefield for new global players. This is why Italy has made Africa a priority, starting with the G7 Presidency, which places development and economic and political relations at all levels with Africa at the heart of its agenda.
Annnexes
- Opening remarks by the Governor (only in Italian)
The opening remarks were delivered by the Secretary to the Governing Board of the Bank of Italy, Gian Luca Trequattrini, due to an unforeseen scheduling conflict in the Governor's agenda
