Agreement signed to promote joint initiatives for sustainable development, and support the international expansion of Italian businesses
Infrastructure, climate change and energy efficiency are the key sectors targeted by a new partnership agreement between Cassa depositi e prestiti (CDP) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), aimed at promoting joint initiatives in priority areas for international cooperation.
The two institutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create projects aimed at sustainable development in all their respective countries of operation, with particular focus on the western Balkans and the southern and eastern Mediterranean, while supporting the expansion of Italian small and medium-sized enterprises in those markets.
The Balkans represent a strategic region for Italy’s manufacturing sector, where over 700 enterprises have established operations, with €4 billion of exports. The agreement, signed in London by CDP Chief Executive Officer Fabio Gallia and EBRD President Suma Chakrabarti, builds on synergies between the two institutions.
Cooperation and the development of joint initiatives are key drivers for achieving ambitious goals. In the words of CEO Fabio Gallia, “The western region of the Balkan Peninsula is of great strategic interest for Italian SMEs as well as the subject of intense infrastructural and economic development. Starting today, CDP and the EBRD are pooling their international cooperation instruments to create projects, synergies and relationships that can benefit the territories, people and companies with the highest growth potential.”
In this way, CDP, in synergy with other European institutions, has added further depth to its commitment to International Cooperation, promoting initiatives and projects for sustainable development.