Green transition and development in emerging markets: the CDP Group strengthens its commitment in Asia

Green transition and development in emerging markets: the CDP Group strengthens its commitment in Asia

Cassa Depositi e Prestiti has signed a Letter of Intent with the state-owned national utility Vietnam Electricity for new financing under the Climate Fund for the country’s first 1,200 MW hydroelectric plant

CDP and Simest have signed an MoU with the Korean export credit agency KEXIM to strengthen trade relations between the two countries, promote joint investments and open up opportunities in the Asian region


Vietnam and South Korea: the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti Group is stepping up its international commitment to fostering sustainable economic development and the energy transition, with agreements signed during the institutional mission led by the Deputy Minister for Business and Made in Italy, Valentino Valentini, from 31 August to 6 September in Asia. The mission involved numerous Italian companies, supported by the Italian System in their international expansion, as part of the Export Plan coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Specifically, the growing focus on the green transition was the main topic of the roundtable organised by CDP on 3 September at “Casa Italia” in Hanoi, in cooperation with the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade. Opened by Deputy Ministers Valentino Valentini and Nguyen Hoang Long, the meeting was attended by representatives of ICE, SACE, Simest and AICS. This international gathering focused on the significant opportunities offered to Italian companies by the Just Energy Transition Partnership, the financial cooperation mechanism set up to support emerging economies heavily dependent on coal in their shift towards a fair, sustainable energy model.

In this context, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti signed a Letter of Intent with Vietnam Electricity (EVN), the state-owned electricity company, to initiate the process leading to the disbursement of financing of up to 80 million euros by 2025, with resources drawn from the Italian Climate Fund, for the construction of the first pumped-storage hydroelectric plant in Vietnam, with 1,200 MW of capacity, in Bac Ai, Ninh Thuan Province. The project is among the main initiatives of the Vietnam JETP and the European Global Gateway programme, contributing to the development of renewable energy and the mitigation of climate change risks.

As part of the Mission, Paolo Lombardo, CDP’s International Cooperation and Development Finance Director, spoke at the Italy-Vietnam Business Forum together with representatives of leading Italian institutions supporting businesses’ international expansion.

On Friday, 5 September, the Italy-Korea Business Forum was held in Seoul, organised by ICE and Confindustria, with the participation of major Italian institutions supporting the internationalisation of companies. Laurent Franciosi, CDP’s Head of International Market Development, spoke during the panel dedicated to economic relations between Korea and Italy.

The summit was also an opportunity for CDP and Simest to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with KEXIM, the Korean export credit agency. The agreement aims to solidify trade and investment relations between the two countries, promote joint initiatives among companies and provide opportunities for collaboration in emerging markets, with projects of high economic and strategic impact.