(VEE) ITALIAN EMBASSY-ICE ORGANISE ECONOMIC MISSION IN RUSSIA

(VELINO) Roma, 16 Sep - The Italian Embassy in Moscow and the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) organised an economic mission to Rostov-on-Don and Krasnodar, the administrative centres of their respective Oblasts and the driving force of economic development in the Southern Federal District of Russia. Around 40 Italian businesses from different sectors took part in the initiative, from agro-food to mechanics and energy to healthcare, bringing them face to face with local political and economic agencies and with Russian businesses through two B2B meetings. During the encounters, the heads of the regional political and economic authorities expressed great interest in strengthening cooperation with Italy. Specifically, Rostov officials were keen to cooperate in the sectors of mechanical engineering, manufacturing, shipbuilding, and infrastructure - also in view of the football World Cup in 2018 - while Krasnodar authorities focused on the development of agriculture, winegrowing, seaside tourism, and ski tourism. The mission falls within the framework of a promotional plan developed by the Italian Embassy and ICE to "guide" Italian companies in the discovery of lesser-known parts of Russia that are rich in investment opportunities. Similar initiatives were already organised in Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, and Chelyabinsk in the first half of 2016, and further missions to Kaluga and the Republic of Kalmykia are in the pipeline this year. vel
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