Dubai, UAE 21 April 2019: The Italy-UAE Business Forum, on April 15 in Dubai, saw a delegation of 200 company representatives as part of the business mission led by His Excellency Luigi Di Maio, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development, Labour and Social Policy of the Italian Republic to the UAE.

L-R: H.E. Luigi Di Maio, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development, Labour and Social Policy of the Italian Republic and H.E. Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy of the UAE

His Excellency Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, UAE, extended a warm welcome to the guests ahead of three essential panel discussions on infrastructure, ICT and on energy, water and environment.

Highlighting the importance of building bridges, Al Mansouri said that landmark MoUs, signed on the day, aim to encourage startups and SMEs specialising in healthcare, education, technology, transportation, water and renewable energy, as well as those in the fields of mechanical engineering, finance, technology and biotech. He also attributed UAE’s attractive business environment to sound legislation, best international practices and high incentives, adding that the country is allocating substantial funds for the development of infrastructure, such as roads and airports, and smart technology.

MoU Signing Ceremony

Di Maio highlighted the important role the Forum plays in advancing the economic relationship of the two countries. He said that the signing of the MoU on the sidelines of the Forum is crucial in terms of imports and exports. He also put the spotlight on the strong capabilities of Italian companies, which he said, means they are well-positioned to address the different requirements of the UAE market. Di Maio said that although Italy has faced economic challenges there is a continuous commitment to invest in innovation and technology, adding that there is a strong common ground between the UAE and Italy when it comes to the challenge of addressing energy and sustainability.

Gabriele Scicolone, President of OICE (Italian Engineering Association), underscored the engineering knowhow of companies from Italy and the strong position they play in the energy, oil & gas and renewable energy sectors. Scicolone added that many companies in the field view the region with strong interest and are earnest in their desire to contribute to the region’s environment objectives through high-level of expertise.

Matteo Dipentina

As if echoing Scicolone, Matteo Dipentina, General Manager, EPTA Middle East, said the company is set to unveil the first green refrigeration system featuring a natural refrigerant, CO2, in the country. Designed by EPTA, the system is installed in a supermarket in Masdar City under the Carrefour Group, Dipentina said. He added that despite the additional challenges posed by the use of natural refrigerants in high-ambient conditions, EPTA is leveraging its technical know-how to bring the solution to the market, highlighting applications in Australia and South America, which also have high-ambient conditions, to make a case for its application among local stakeholders. Dipentina said that he believes there will be a demand for refrigeration systems with natural refrigerants in the UAE, as stakeholders aim to future-proof equipment from the inevitable refrigerant phase-down, though the deadline is some years away. In addition to its environmentally friendly green features, he said, the added efficiency of systems with natural refrigerants also offers greater financial savings compared to traditional systems with R-404a. EPTA, he said, is committed to training technicians, both in Italy and in the countries it operates in, to advance adoption of more sustainable and energy-efficient technologies.

Hannah Jo Uy is Assistant Editor at Climate Control Middle East magazine. She may be contacted at hannah@cpi-industry.com