Italy interested in exporting know-how
Italy is ready to export its bio- and nanotechnologies to Azerbaijan, Luigi D’Aprea, former director general of the ITA (Italian Trade Agency), a trade promotion section of the Italian Embassy in Baku, said in an interview with Trend.
Despite the crisis in the global economy, the interest of Italian companies for Azerbaijan isn’t decreasing, he said.
D’Aprea added that he received as many requests as he did in 2015 from Italian companies willing to take part in economic missions to Azerbaijan.
During economic recession, a country always gets many opportunities for investments, because many people are afraid to invest in this country, however, those who are not afraid to take such a step, win, he noted.
At the same time, this provides considerable opportunities for the development of local companies and their access to foreign markets, he said.
D’Aprea said that Italian companies will continue to work with Azerbaijan, as they are aimed at long-term cooperation with the country in various spheres.
He added that in the coming years Italy and Azerbaijan will be connected by gas pipelines being constructed within the framework of the Southern Gas Corridor project, and this will further expand energy cooperation between the countries.
But at the same time, Azerbaijan and Italy have great opportunities for developing cooperation in other spheres as well, D’Aprea said.
Italy is known as a country of fashion and delicious cuisine, but Italy is also intensively developing the production of various technologies, he said.
Today, Italy is famous for biotechnologies and nanotechnologies and the country is ready to export the know-how to Azerbaijan, D’Aprea added.
As for Italy’s interest in other Azerbaijani products, today Azerbaijan is trying to promote its products under the "Made in Azerbaijan" brand in the world and the country has a great potential for it.
D’Aprea visited several Azerbaijani companies producing cosmetic products and stressed that the companies’ huge potential.
In D’Aprea’s opinion, those companies can try to enter the Italian market.
The Italian market is very good for cosmetic products but the products must be competitive, he said.
D’Aprea added that the Italian side also shows interest in the Azerbaijani food products.
The Italians have a good taste, especially in cuisine, he said, adding that the Azerbaijani cuisine is wonderful.
D’Aprea said that he likes the Azerbaijani cuisine very much and often goes to the restaurants offering the country’s national dishes.
He added that he likes that there are a lot of restaurants serving Italian cuisine in Baku.
It is important for the restaurants serving Italian cuisine to have food products from that country so, Azerbaijan and Italy have a good opportunity to develop trade in agricultural products, D’Aprea said.