Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee Bui Dinh Long visits and works in the Republic of Italy.

Attending the conference from the Vietnamese side were Ambassador Duong Hai Hung; Mr. Nguyen Dong Trung - Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and leaders from the provinces of Kon Tum and Ha Nam. From Nghe An province, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Bui Dinh Long also attended.

Representing the Republic of Italy were: Mr. Alessio Mammi - Vice President of the Emilia-Romagna Region; Mr. Napoleone Cera - Member of the Puglia Regional Council, along with representatives from the Macerata province and the cities of Zeri, Filottrano, Prato, various agencies and associations, and 150 business delegates from the Emilia-Romagna Region.

The Local Networking Conference is an initiative being held for the first time in the Republic of Italy to promote trade and investment cooperation between the two countries in the future.

At the conference, Vice Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee Bui Dinh Long presented information on the province's geographical location, area, population, potential advantages, achievements in socio-economic development, and cooperation results between Nghe An and partners from the Republic of Italy; he also emphasized the need for future cooperation, especially in the fields of technology, mechanical engineering, and new energy.

The Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province expressed confidence that the conference would be an opportunity for localities to learn about and seek cooperation opportunities, and hoped that delegates and businesses would take the time to visit and survey the potential advantages of Nghe An province in the fields of trade, investment, and tourism. Nghe An province is committed to always accompanying and creating all favorable conditions for Italian businesses to develop sustainably and for the long term.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to Italy, Duong Hai Hung, expressed confidence that the Conference would yield many positive results, both in the working sessions and sideline meetings, and in the long term.

Mr. Alessio Mammi, Vice President of the Emilia-Romagna Region, expressed his pleasure and honor in welcoming delegates from Vietnam to the conference; and also expressed his hope that this would enhance understanding and promote exchanges and cooperation agreements between the two sides.

Mr. Napoleone Cera, a member of the Puglia Regional Council, emphasized that, based on the Vietnam-Italy relationship over the past 50 years, the Puglia region is confident in the opportunities for developing cooperation between Vietnamese localities, and this conference is an opportunity and prospect for localities of both countries to meet and discuss prospects for cooperation in various fields. Puglia, with its central location in the Mediterranean region, has developed a vast international cooperation network, including with Vietnam.

Prior to the conference, the Nghe An provincial delegation participated in four working sessions with leaders of Bologna city, the Italian Federation of Trade, Industry, Handicrafts and Agriculture, and several Italian business associations. Of particular note were meetings with the Vice President of the Emilia-Romagna Region and a member of the Puglia Regional Council. These meetings helped both sides understand the potential and advantages of each other, and suggested suitable areas for future cooperation.

Emilia-Romagna is a region with a large number of geographically indicated products, valued at nearly 4 billion Euros, accounting for approximately 40% of the national value. It is renowned for its manufacturing industry with globally famous brands such as Lamborghini, Ducati, IMA SPA, and Marposs.

Furthermore, the region is also a food and agricultural hub for the entire country. Agriculture is the second largest export sector after the mechanical engineering and mechatronics industries.

In the Emilia-Romagna region, the Bologna province leads in export volume and the number of active companies, with 59% of export revenue coming from high-end specialty products. Exports to Vietnam account for 30% of the region's total and over 4% of the national total. The main export items are machinery and equipment.

Earlier, from October 14th to 16th, a delegation from Nghe An province, along with representatives from Ha Nam and Kon Tum provinces, visited and worked with the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy; visited and worked with Unitec Spa Group; the Italy-Vietnam Trade Association; and Delta Del Po National Park.