Vincenzo De Luca is the Italian ambassador to Nepal and India. Currently, he’s on a campaign to promote relations between Nepal and Italy through economic and cultural cooperation. The Italian capital Rome is one of the candidates to host World Expo 2030, and De Luca wants the Nepal government and the private sector to support the bid. The Post’s Subin Adhikari caught up with De Luca to talk about Nepal-Italy ties. Excerpts:

Nepal and Italy established diplomatic relations in 1959, and Nepal has been participating in trade exhibitions in Italy since then. But Nepali goods haven’t been able to attract buyers there. What is the reason for that?

Bilateral trade between Italy and Nepal has grown substantially in the last couple of years. We had 34 million euros worth of bilateral trade in 2022, which is double that of 2021. To promote trade between the two countries, we have recently set up the Nepal-Italy Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Italian customers want sustainable and high-quality products, therefore, Nepal needs to invest more in technology and machinery to produce more sustainable and profitable products. Around 3,000 Nepalis are working in Italy at present, and the number is growing. This signals that Nepali products will have high demand in the Italian market in the near future. I would like to suggest that Nepali industrialists be more informed about the needs of the international market, attend more global exhibitions, and be active in the Nepal-Italy Chamber of Commerce and Industry to have greater access to the market.

The main products that Nepal exports to Italy are knotted carpets, knitted sweaters and scarves. What are other potential export products?

Nepal has some niche products that could have great potential in Italy. Products like coffee, tea, processed fruit and vegetables are in high demand in Italy. We are interested in transferring technology to Nepal that will allow Nepal to export more products to the European market. Handicrafts of Nepal are in great demand in Italy as well. Nepal can be a great source of raw materials for industries in Italy. Italy is the second largest manufacturing country in Europe after Germany.

What are the probable sectors where Nepal and Italy can collaborate for mutual benefit?

We are more interested in collaboration between Nepali and Italian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We can collaborate in the field of textile machinery to bring better technology in the textile sector in Nepal and import the finished textile products into Italy. We can do the same in agriculture and food technology. We can make Nepal's agriculture more sustainable and profitable through technological upgradation. This is why we want to promote the Nepal-Italy Chamber of Commerce and Industry as a new tool for a synergistic effect. We want a very friendly partnership with Nepal. We don’t only want to export to Nepal. We want to import from Nepal as well.

Italy's expertise in hydro and renewable energy can be of benefit to Nepal. How can the two countries work together?

We have pioneering technology in renewable energy like hydropower and geothermal energy. Some of our companies are the first to use this technology in Europe. Through our chamber of commerce, Nepali companies can partner with Italian companies to bring more investment and technology to hydroelectricity.

Is there any prospect of direct flights between Nepal and Italy?

As the number of tourists increases, we will work on it. It depends upon the demand of the market. Some companies can operate charter flights from Italy as the number of tourists spikes. But that largely depends upon the number of travellers.

Nepal was once a popular destination for Italian mountaineers. But climber numbers are decreasing. Is there any reason behind the drop?

That’s mainly due to the travel restrictions following the Covid-19 pandemic. However, as the situation is easing, the number of tourists is increasing. We aim to bring more tourists from Italy to Nepal every year and hope to welcome some Nepali tourists to the World Expo as well. Besides, we can also share technology in mountaineering tourism. We have top technology in skiing and hosting tourists in the mountains. We are very familiar with mountains as we also have the Alps. Mountains in Nepal, obviously, are a big draw for Italian tourists.

How would you describe Nepal and Italy's relationship?

This is my third official visit to Nepal after becoming the ambassador to Nepal and India. I submitted my credentials to the President of Nepal in October 2021. Rome in Italy is a candidate to host World Expo 2030. Therefore, we seek the Nepal government’s support in the selection event being organised in Paris in November 2023. The last time we organised a similar expo was in 2015 in Milan. Nepal’s pavilion was at the centre of the avenue. When we get to host World Expo 2030, we will allocate a designated pavilion for Nepal. We will help in setting up, designing and decorating the pavilion where Nepali traders can showcase all sorts of products. Nepali entrepreneurs are more than welcome to sign some business contracts at the expo. Rome would be the most suitable platform to promote the heritage and culture of Nepal to attract international tourists as there will be participation from more than 200 countries. Besides, through the European Union, we have been investing a great amount of resources in the health, education, infrastructure, sustainable development and agriculture sectors of Nepal. We will also encourage collaboration between Nepali and Italian universities, and try to allow the families of Nepali workers to visit Italy.