Ambrosetti's 3rd South Africa-Italy Summit in Johannesburg

(AGI) Johannesburg, Oct 11 - The third "South Africa-Italy Summit", organized by the European House-Ambrosetti, is due in Johannesburg on 18 and 19 October. The initiative is sponsored by the Farnesina, the Italian Embassy in Pretoria, the Italian Trade Agency- ICE, the Italian-South African Chamber of Trade and Industries, the Region Emilia Romagna and the Secretariat of State for Industry, Crafts, Trade, Transport and Technological Research of the Republic of San Marino This year's summit enjoys the sponsorship and the active participation of the province of Gauteng, which accounts for 34% of South Africa's GDP and 10% of the whole continent's GDP. The province is the main promoter of the relations between Italy and South Africa, which are growing steadily. "South Africa and Southern Africa countries tend to fall off the radar of most Italian companies. It is a strategic error because synergies and opportunities with South Africa are partially unexplored territory. Moreover, South Africa will be one of the engines of African development in the next few decades, a world class economy," explained Paolo Borzatta, senior partner of the European House-Ambrosetti, emphasizing the need to boost relations between these two countries. This exclusive summit - by invitation only- will bring together preeminent Italian and South African business leaders, distinguished economists and government representatives to discuss the two countries' strategic opportunities. It will be a common platform to access and expand towards the Sub-Saharian continent. The goal is to substantially increase investments and strengthen business between the two nations and their respective continents. There will be 150 business leaders attending the summit, of whom half will be from Italy. Business delegations from several regions including Lombardy, represented by its Deputy Governor Fabrizio Sala, and Emilia Romagna, with Governor Stefano Bonaccini, will sign agreements with South African counterparts and organisations. Business delegations and institutional representatives from other African (Botswana, Namibia) and European (Greece, Portugal and Spain) countries will attend the South Africa-Italy Summit for the first time. (AGI) . .