المملكة: The Italian Consul told Al-Youm: Relations with Saudi Arabia are excellent… and the volume of trade exchange is 10 billion euros
The Italian Consul in Jeddah, Dr. Leonardo Costa, confirmed that relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic Italianis witnessing “excellent” levels of coordination and cooperation in various fields, stressing that the ties between the two countries are not limited to the political and economic aspects only, but extend deeply to The cultural and humanitarian dimension, which he described as a “true bridge” linking the two peoples.
In his speech to Al-Youm, Costa explained that cultural cooperation between the two countries is based on a long history of institutional partnerships, as Saudi Arabia and Italy signed a memorandum of understanding in this field since 1976, before this cooperation was strengthened with a new agreement between the ministries of culture in the two countries during the year 2023, which reflects a commitment Renewing the development of this vital path.
Developing cultural relations
He pointed out that Italy is an active partner of the Kingdom in developing cultural relations, pointing out that the Italian embassy and consulate continuously organize many cultural events within the Kingdom, with the aim of enhancing cultural exchange and expanding the horizons of mutual knowledge between the two peoples.
In this context, Costa expressed his pride in launching the first university class to teach the Italian language in Jeddah, stressing that this step It represents an important station in the path of educational and cultural cooperation, as it provides Saudi students with the opportunity to learn more deeply about the Italian language and culture, and enables them to communicate directly with the Italian community, whether through study or travel.
He added that the rapprochement between the Saudi and Italian peoples goes beyond official frameworks, pointing out that there is a great similarity in social and humanitarian values, which contributes to enhancing mutual understanding and supports opportunities for cooperation in various fields.
The Italian Consul touched on the existing cooperation in Al-Ula, describing it as a “jewel” within the Saudi cultural scene, explaining that there are memorandums of understanding aimed at strengthening joint work in this prominent heritage site, in a way that supports the Kingdom’s efforts to promote its cultural heritage globally.
Moving towards broader horizons
Costa stressed that what has been achieved so far represents a strong base for moving towards broader horizons, stressing that the future holds great opportunities to strengthen bilateral relations in a way Larger.
On the economic level, Costa revealed that the volume of trade exchange between the two countries, according to the latest data for the year 2025, amounted to about 10 billion euros, stressing that Italy is considered one of the most important trading partners of the Kingdom, and Saudi Arabia represents a pivotal partner for Italy in the region.
He indicated that the nature of trade exchange reflects a clear economic integration, as Italy imports petroleum products and their derivatives from the Kingdom, while exporting to the Saudi market a wide range of products including machinery and equipment, And industrial products, fashion, and services, in addition to the pharmaceutical industries.
He pointed out that economic relations are witnessing rapid growth, with the increase of partnerships between Saudi and Italian companies, and the continuous emergence of new cooperation opportunities in various sectors.
In this context, he pointed to the holding of the first edition of the Saudi-Italian Economic Forum in the capital, Riyadh, last November, which witnessed the participation of more than a thousand participants, stressing that this event formed an important platform to enhance communication between the business community in the two countries, and It is expected that it will contribute to pushing trade and investment relations to higher levels during the coming period.
The Italian Consul concluded his statement by emphasizing that Saudi-Italian relations are on an upward path, supported by a common will to deepen cooperation, whether on the cultural or economic level, expressing his confidence that the coming years will witness more rapprochement and qualitative partnerships between the two countries.
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