The bilateral relationship between Italy and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is expanding with great strides not only in trade sphere which according to the Italian National Institute for Statistics (ISTAT) has reached approximately 7.5 billion U.S. Dollars in 2005, in addition to the growing bilateral foreign direct investments (FDI) which has recently culminated in the establishment of an investment company, but also in the political and intercultural spheres. In the political sphere, both countries share the importance of promoting peace and stability in the Middle East and the integration of the economies of the Arabian Peninsula, particularly that of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the world global economy. To this end, Italy has always displayed its firm commitment in support of the Kingdom’s efforts in joining the WTO and the establishment a free trade area (FTA) between the European Union and the GCC countries as well as other initiatives aimed at combating the international terrorism. In the cultural sphere, the intercultural dialogue between both countries remains the cornerstone, in addition to expanding cooperation in the training, scientific and academic fields. Many Saudi students graduated from the Italian universities, particularly in the fields of arts, engineering and architecture. Others take regular courses in Italy’s tourism educational facilities. Initiatives aimed at establishing an agreement for cooperation in the tourism sector between both countries are underway.
C.V. of Italian Main Personalities - Short biographies of the President of the Italian Republic Giorgio Napolitano, the President of the Council of Ministers Romano Prodi, and of the Deputy President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs Massimo D’Alema are available in the Arabic version of this web site (link here).
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