Message by H.E Andreas Ferrarese Ambassador of Italy to Pakistan.

A s we celebrate the 77th anniversary of Republic Day, the National Day of Italy, I am pleased to speak to our Pakistani friends. I would start by thanking all those who sent messages of warmth and solidarity on this auspicious occasion. This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between our two countries. The time-honored Italy-Pakistan relations are marked by emergent bilateral cooperation and harmony of views on a great range of issues. Our cooperation encompasses but is not limited to political, economic, cultural, and social spheres. Italy values the vital support and continued cooperation that Pakistan extended to the international community. With a community exceeding 180.000, Italy is home to the largest Pakistani diaspora in Europe (post-Brexit). Their contribution to the Italian economy, as well as to that of their native country, is remarkable. Worker remittances from Italy to Pakistan have been at an all-time high in the past two years (more than 1 billion euros annually).

Italy was the seventh largest source of worker remittances to Pakistan globally and the top one within the EU countries. Both countries appreciate the importance of people-to-people contacts that foster bilateral ties. The Embassy is strongly committed to improving consular services. The fifth Italy-Pakistan Joint Economic Commission (JEC) took place on 29-30 May in Rome, where the two sides agreed to establish a joint framework to deal with climate change and cooperation in water management. Both sides signed an important "Roadmap for Cooperation," which covers climate change, trade and investment, heritage and culture, agriculture, technical cooperation, higher education, and transfer of technology in related sectors. Italy remains among the top ten exporting countries for Pakistan in the world and the third major trade partner in the EU. Both our countries are in favor of the trade liberalization scheme at the World Trade Organization and contest the idea of unilateralism.

With a population of around 240 million, and a constantly growing demand for high-end products, Pakistan continues to be an attractive market for Italian companies and businesses. Some renowned Italian...