On the second and last day of her official visit to Italy, Foreign Minister Mondino, together with her Italian counterpart, Antonio Tajani, opened the event "Argentina: new opportunities in the energy sector and in productive transition." The meeting, held at Palacio Francesco Turati, headquarters of the Milan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was attended by over 190 businesspeople and local investors.
It was organized by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Argentina and Promos Italia—an agency that promotes the internationalization of Italian companies—together with the Italian Foreign Ministry and the Italian Trade Agency. On behalf of Argentina, the meeting was attended by the Governor of the Province of Chubut, Ignacio Torres; the president of ENARSA, Juan Carlos Doncel Jones; the president of the Chamber of Hydrocarbon Producers, Carlos Ormachea; and executives of energy companies, among others.
The Argentine Foreign Minister offered an overview of the structural economic, institutional and social reforms implemented in Argentina and said that the development of the energy sector and the increase of Argentina's energy potential are part of the policies introduced by President Milei's Administration. She added that boosting businesses will contribute to the prompt development of the sector, provided there is an environment conducive to investments and a closer connection between businesspeople from both countries. Special emphasis was placed on the development of value chains with Argentine and Italian SMEs.
The Foreign Minister stated that "Argentina needs productive and infrastructure investments to realize its potential as a reliable player in the global energy market. Since December 2023, the purpose of this new administration has been to free the market forces and promote private enterprises and foreign direct investment." Then, she stressed that "we are promoting a stable macroeconomic framework, with legal certainty and transparent and foresseable rules, in order to create a favourable environment for the private sector and investments in Argentina"
In addition, she reiterated that "Argentina's OECD accession process, aimed at strengthening the country's insertion into the global scenario, is of major importance." Regarding the negotiations for the MERCOSUR-EU Agreement, she reaffirmed that "concluding the agreement is one of the priorities of the Argentine Government" and added that Argentina hopes that both blocs can work together to overcome pending challenges and conclude the agreement promptly. "The Argentine working teams are ready to get to work immediately," she said.
The president of ENARSA, Juan Carlos Doncel Jones, explained the scope and advantages of the Regime of Incentives for Large Investments (RIGI). In addition, he stated that it is estimated that Argentina's energy exports may grow from USD 9.297 billion in 2022 to USD 26.610 billion in 2030, due to the oil and gas boom in Vaca Muerta and the development of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and green hydrogen.
Foreign Minister Tajani, who participated virtually, highlighted the current state of the bilateral relationship, as well as Argentina's importance as partner in the region. He also invited Foreign Minister Mondino to the upcoming G7 Ministerial Meeting on Trade, which will take place on 16 and 17 June in Calabria.
After the event, Foreign Minister Mondino met with Enrico Laghi, CEO of Edizione Holding SpA and Benetton—both of which have significant presence in Argentina, particularly in the infrastructure sector—, who expressed the group's interest in investing in various energy undertakings.
