The meeting of Ivan Belozertsev and Pasquale Terracciano took place at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum on Thursday, 24 May 2018.
The parties indicated that enhanced cooperation between the Penza region and the Italian provinces is crucially important.
“We strive to attract foreign investors. Businessmen from France, Turkey, Singapore, and the UK are operating in Penza region. Italian business people have been working in the region for more than 10 years, and we would like to promote mutually beneficial cooperation,” Ivan Belozertsev emphasised.
He suggested working out the establishment of Russian-Italian joint ventures in the Penza region. At present, plants producing equipment for railway transport and manufacturing concrete kits for prefabricated housing construction are progressing in the region. The governor also identified other promising areas for further collaboration.
“The retail chains of our region showcase a lot of Italian furniture, which is in demand due to its distinctive design and high quality. Italians are world-famous trendsetters. At the same time, the Penza furniture cluster is one of the most powerful in Russia. Moreover, the garment industry is actively developing in the region, the cluster has increased by 60% compared to last year,” the head of the region stated.
“We have all the prerequisites to set up joint ventures, such as high-quality modern equipment, production sites, and workforce. This enables us to carry out any projects,” Ivan Belozertsev remarked.
“I am aware that the Penza region is one of the most dynamically developing entities in Russia. But when I look at the Italian presence in the region, I see that much more can be done to foster relations. Our strategy is to get into Russia, participate in the development of economic ties, and work together,” said Pasquale Terracciano, Ambassador of the Italian Republic to the Russian Federation.
“We are ready to share our know-how, our equipment, our technologies,” he added. “In addition to the indicated areas, I also see prospects for cooperation in mechanical engineering and agriculture, as these sectors are well developed in the Penza region”.
The parties agreed to explore the issues of establishing Italian business missions in the Penza region, so that potential investors could study first-hand the conditions for organising joint ventures.
