Italy's Ambassador to the United States, Mariangela Zappia, today attended a meeting in Washington with International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and other female Ambassadors on the subject of growth prospects for the global economy. The meeting took place just ahead of the start of Georgieva's second five-year term on 1 October.
In her speech, Ambassador Zappia highlighted the attention that the Italian G7 Presidency, in coordination with the International Financial Institutions, has devoted to economic growth and innovation, with a special focus on new technologies and in particular Artificial Intelligence. Zappia recalled the decision that the leaders, at the urging of the Italian Presidency, took at the Puglia Summit to create a hub on Artificial Intelligence for sustainable development. The Ambassador also emphasised the role of women as an engine for growth and development.
Zappia reiterated Italy's full support for the work of the International Monetary Fund, recalling the excellent cooperation that exists between the Washingtonian institution and the Italian G7 Presidency, particularly in supporting the economies of emerging countries. This is a central objective in the government's strategy of relaunching the partnership with Africa.
The discussion focused on how to support economic growth at the global level, combating the protectionism that holds it back, and on how to overcome the growing fragmentation into competing blocs, ensuring that geopolitical dynamics do not negatively affect the performance of economies and ultimately, the welfare of citizens.
The Ambassadors and Director Georgieva agreed on the importance of ensuring ever greater convergence and cohesion at the global level and confirmed the common commitment to reduce the level of debt of the poorest countries. The need to increase female and youth employment was central to the discussion.
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