ForMin Odobescu on Romania-Italy cooperation: We expect 2023 statistics to show record trade

 Bilateral cooperation between Romania and Italy in the economic field is "excellent", Foreign Affairs Minister Luminita Odobescu said Thursday in Rome, noting that last year's statistics are expected to show record trade of over 20 billion euros.She attended the Romanian-Italian Economic Forum held in Rome, on the sidelines of the joint meeting of the governments of the two countries."Bilateral cooperation between Romania and Italy in the economic field is excellent. We expect last year's statistics to show record trade of over 20 billion euros. We hope to continue this upward trend in the years to come. The Italian entrepreneurial presence in Romania is important and the Romanian presence in Italy is growing. I am pleased to note the participation of many Italian and Romanian companies in this forum, which confirms once again the mutual interest in working together, identifying new opportunities and collaboration projects, both in the two markets and in third countries. I would like to encourage you to act in this direction in the belief that only through cooperation, the creation of synergies, investment in new technologies and the judicious use of the resources at our disposal, can we manage together the challenges we are currently facing," said Odobescu.She mentioned that the joint declaration signed on Thursday by the prime ministers of Romania and Italy reflects common priorities and interests in the new, highly complex global context "where the key word is security"."I would like to underline that Romania and Italy are making an important contribution to ensuring European and global security, whether we are talking about security in a broader sense, energy security, food security or cybersecurity. We are determined to coordinate more effectively bilaterally, as well as in the multilateral context, in all these areas, and to capitalise on our common potential for growth and development. We are counting on the dynamism of the business environment to support and complement our efforts, the success of which also depends on cooperation between public authorities and private actors," said the Foreign Affairs minister.According to Luminita Odobescu, Romania has important energy resources, it is a pillar of regional energy security and has a good track record in ensuring food security."When we think of our region we think of two key words - security, because we are talking about a war on our borders, but also connectivity. When we think of the Black Sea, which is a point of utmost interest on the global security map, including in the context of the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine, we think, I said, of security, of connectivity. In this respect Romania's efforts are already well known, if we talk not only about the support we give to Ukraine, but also about the support in terms of ensuring food security and transport security. We want to work together, we are open to work together and we are convinced that we can develop these joint projects at institutional and business level, including by thinking ahead about a reconstruction process in Ukraine, about the support we give to the Republic of Moldova," Foreign minister Odobescu further said.