Undersecretary Silli attends new Italy–Saudi Arabia Business Forum in Rome

The Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Giorgio Silli, took part today, on behalf of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani, in the opening of a new Italy-Saudi Arabia Business Forum held in Rome. The event, which also saw the participation of the Deputy Minister for Enterprises and Made in Italy, Valentino Valentini, and the Saudi Minister of Commerce, Majed bin Abdullah Al-Qassabi, marked a further step forward in the strengthening of the economic partnership between Italy and Saudi Arabia.

"Relations between Italy and Saudi Arabia are excellent and continue to grow steadily across all sectors. Our annual trade exchange now consistently exceeds EUR 10 billion, and Italian companies are playing an active role in major projects under Saudi Vision 2030," stated Undersecretary Silli. He also recalled that Saudi Arabia is one of the priority destinations identified in the Export Plan launched by Minister Tajani.

Riyadh accounts for over 15% of Italy's exports to the Middle East and North Africa, making it the second-largest destination in the region. In 2024, Italian exports to Saudi Arabia reached EUR 6.2 billion, an increase of almost 28% compared with 2023, surpassing both the United Kingdom and France. This positive trend has continued into the first seven months of 2025, with Italian exports amounting to around EUR 3.5 billion, up 5.7% on the same period in 2024.