“ITALY IS MAKING THE UAE FLY”
Italian Ambassador to the UAE encourages the cooperation and the exchange of ideas between Italy and UAE to continue after the Expo.
Logistics and Infrastructure were discussed at the last Innovation Talk at the Italy Pavilion at Expo 2020.
Dubai, UAE; 19th March 2022: In the global construction industry more than 800 projects in 90 countries, including complex infrastructure projects are led by Italian companies for a total value of over Euros 82 billion. Italy ranks third in the world in the ENR 2020 Top Design Firms list for the number of companies operating abroad. Many of the infrastructure projects in the UAE have been developed with the contribution of Italian companies.
“Connecting Infrastructures: transports, logistics and networks” was the title of the 14th InnovationTalk that took place yesterday, 18th March, at the Italy Pavilion’s Amphitheatre at Expo 2020 Dubai. Yesterday was the last appointment of the series of discussions organized by the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), in cooperation with the Embassy of Italy in the UAE, the Consulate General in Dubai and the Italian Commissioner’s Office of the Italy Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, that over the last 6 months have generated a lot of contents to reflect about the global challenges.
The Innovation Talk was officially opened by Paolo Glisenti, Commissioner General Italy’s Pavilion and the panel of experts, moderated by Roberto Luongo, Italian Trade Agency CEO and managing Director, included Roberto Carpaneto, Vice President for International Affairs OICE; Claudio De Vincenti, President ADR Aeroporti di Roma; Federico Ghella, Vice President ANCE; Mahendra Patel, Chairman Geap International Group; Umberto Ruggerone, President Assologistica.
Giuseppe Chiaranda’, CEO Rimond, and Paolo Leutenegger, General Manager Duplomatic Motion Solutions, brought to the stage their experience at Expo 2020.
H.E. Nicola Lener, Ambassador of Italy to the UAE, also attended the event and shared with the public his closing remarks.
Roberto Luongo, Italian Trade Agency CEO and Managing Director, highlighted the important job done byITA over the 6 months of Expo “Today was the last of the 14 Innovation Talks that we had here in Dubai at the Italy Pavilion; 20 fairs, 14 Innovation Talks, 4.000 bilateral meetings, we brought about 500 operators from 25 countries who converged here in Dubai, we organised many activities to support the presence of Italian companies in the territory of the UAE.
We are very proud to be here and to have done so much to increase the trade, which this year has grown by 8/9% compared to 2019.
For us, it is fundamental to continue to be supportive, not only in the field of infrastructure that was discussed today but in all the typical Made in Italy products such as clothing, fashion, food, beverages. In just one sentence: Italy is simply extraordinary”.
The macro sector of infrastructures, constructions, consultancy and engineering plays a key role in the economic growth of a country and in Italy it contributes to 20% of the GDP, representing one of the most important and advanced sectors in terms of technology, design skills and project execution. It’s important to have well developed and well connected logistic system to support the development of the industry and digitalization is one of the key aspects that will allow to speed up the process while reducing the cost of transportation The evolution in infrastructure, transports and logistics sectors and the cooperation between Italy and UAE was addressed by the keynote speakers.
Talking about the capabilities and experiences of Italian consulting, engineering and architectural companies in the development and innovation of the Blue Economy projects, Roberto Carpaneto, Vice President for International Affairs OICE that represents the Italian organizations of engineering, architecture and technical-economic consultancy and Managing Director Rina Consulting, said “The Italian engineering and consulting companies are demonstrating all over the world that they’re working on energy transitions, digitalization and efficiency of all the logistics chain in the transportation of both goods and persons. We have a large experience in the global market, about 60% of our activities are abroad, and this is a great opportunity to present our capabilities to potential new clients.
OICE represent one or the first ring of the entire value chain of the Italian products. We design and define programs, we collaborate to perform plans that will become a reality in the future.”
Illustrating the important bond between logistics and infrastructure and how the future will look like, Umberto Ruggerone, President Assologistica, said “Logistics companies are users of infrastructures, they use infrastructures to provide services to companies and citizens.
What we will need in the future will be new infrastructures, not even remotely similar to those we use today; they will have to be infrastructures that in terms of capacity, but above all in terms of quality, are able to guarantee a performance that is unimaginable today, in terms of computerisation, digitalisation and energy capacity. “
Addressing the topic of the cooperation between the UAE and Italy in this sector, Mahendra Patel, Chairman Geap International Group, that was involved in some important infrastructure projects including Dubai International Airport, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Frame and Dubai Mall, confirmed the important role that Italian companies played in building UAE infrastructures and urged the cooperation to continue.
The talks were concluded with the testimonials of two Italian companies involved in the design and construction of Expo 2020; Rimond participated in the construction of the Dome of Al Wasl Square and Duplomatic that developed the Roof Wing Opening System of the UAE Pavilion
Over the last 6 months, the Innovation Talks have been a platform to foster the dialogue between Italy and UAE initiated by the Embassy of Italy to the UAE last year with InnovItaly. Each talk has featured highly-regarded personalities from both Italy and the UAE invited to discuss issues related to Expo 2020 Dubai’s weekly themes and the trade fairs ITA was participating in around the Emirates.
To watch the registration of the Innovation Talks, please visit the official YouTube channel of
Italy Expo 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc9adGF0Gjw
For the latest news and updates, please follow @ITAdubai on Twitter, @ITAdubai on Instagram, ITA – Dubai Office on LinkedIn, and Italian Trade Agency on YouTube.
