• Digital platform will smooth SME ‘matchmaking,’ official tells Arab News
• Focus on life sciences, agriculture, digitization and AI

Francesco Bongarrà

ROME: The UAE and Italy have held talks to promote cooperation between their respective small and medium enterprise sectors through a digital platform, with a focus on new startups.

Italian Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Manlio Di Stefano told Arab News that the UAE wants to participate in the project run by Italy’s Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, the body responsible for overseeing long-term investments at local, regional and national level.

The CDP’s digital platform would help both sides to overcome the barriers to travel created by the COVID-19 pandemic, and assist in “matchmaking,” said Di Stefano.

After his meeting in Dubai with Emirati Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, Di Stefano said the focus would be on life sciences, agriculture, digitization and artificial intelligence.

The SME cooperation would further boost the “excellent” political and commercial relationships between the two nations, he added.

Di Stefano said the UAE would benefit considerably from Italy’s developed manufacturing sector. “So much can be done together,” he added.