Cooperation between Italy and South Africa, particularly in research and economic development, was at the center of the Johannesburg conference, the last stage of the approach to the Trento 2023 Festival of Economics, organized in collaboration with the Embassy and the Pretoria Foreign Trade Office and hosted by the University of Johannesburg.
Many points of contact emerged in the round tables, animated by 26 speakers and introduced by the ambassador to South Africa, Paolo Cuculi, by the deputy vice-chancellor of the University of Johannesburg, Sarah Gravett and (in connection from Italy) by the director of the Sole 24 Ore Fabio Tamburini and the CEO of the 24 Hours Group Mirja Cartia d’Asero.
The cooperation between Italian and South African researchers and companies, usually under wraps, emerged in all sessions of the seminar: from urban regeneration for the construction of smart cities to artificial intelligence and big data, from sustainability to biotechnologies, from aerospace to astronomy. More than 20 Italian universities collaborate with South African universities. Over 120 Italian researchers work in the country. As much as 20% of the energy from renewable sources in the “rainbow nation” is produced by Enel plants (and the percentage is increasing, with the opening of new plants). The Cineca of Bologna – the largest computing center in Italy – has a direct line with government agencies and South African universities. Inaf, the National Institute of Astrophysics, is contributing significantly to the realization of the MeerKat+ project, fundamental for the creation of the largest radio telescope in the world: Ska (Square kilometer array), an interconnected system of hundreds of antennas under construction o expansion in South Africa and Australia. A two billion euro project with enormous ambitions, which will in part be implemented by Sam (Mediterranean Aerospace Company), a company made up of 11 small, medium and large Italian companies active in aerospace and aeronautics.
«This event highlighted the strong ties between the two research systems: the Italian and the South African ones, ties strengthened by the Italian-South African Scientific Collaboration Program 2023-2025 – underlined Ambassador Paolo Cuculi -. The demand for made in Italy in the country is also strong, with Italian exports amounting to 2.4 billion euros a year. Finally, the presence of compatriots living in this country is significant: a good 40,000, who make up the largest Italian community in Africa».
Therefore, the excellent audience result recorded by the online conference is not surprising: no less than six thousand unique users connected by the Sole 24 Ore website and social networks. «A great result that demonstrates the interest in collaboration between the two countries – commented Fabio Tamburini, director of Il Sole 24 Ore, Radiocor and Radio 24 and president of the scientific committee of the Trento Festival of Economics -. The commonality of interests and intentions between Italy and South Africa is evident. This complementarity can and must give important results and I trust that today’s event can represent an emblematic contribution».