(Adnkronos) – Participants at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome have made financial commitments of more than 10 billion euros to support the war-torn country’s reconstruction, Italy’s premier Giorgia Meloni said on Thursday.
“We must be proud of the result we are achieving together today – nations, international organizations, financial institutions, local authorities, businesses and civil society,” Meloni said.
Meloni was making an opening address to the two-day conference, which kicked off on Thursday at the Nuvola convention centre.
“Together, we have taken on commitments worth over 10 billion euros at today’s conference,” Meloni said.
“But to rebuild a nation ravaged by war, money, engineers, and architects are not enough,” she went on.
“Something more is needed and the Ukrainian people have shown they know what this is: love of country, love of freedom, the will to ensure their children a future of prosperity and well-being,” said Meloni.
The international community’s job is to help Ukraine in its battle to keep living, producing and innovating “for the love of justice and for the future,” Meloni said.
“The message we want to send to entrepreneurs today is simple: don’t be afraid to invest, build, and rebuild in Ukraine,” she stated.
Italy can play a leading role in Ukraine’s reconstruction, Meloni underlined.
The first reason is the “unwavering” support Italy has shown Ukraine from the start of Russia’s full-scale military invasion in February 2022, Meloni argued.
A second reason is Italy’s “solid and extraordinary manufacturing base, which has all it takes to generate an investment multiplier, a multiplier of opportunities,” Meloni continued.
“We must focus our attention on creating new tools and mechanisms that can support companies’ work and act as a multiplier,” said Meloni.
“This is why I am happy to announce Italy’s decisive contribution to the creation of a new European-level equity fund.”
Maximum effort is needed from nations, governments, multilateral and financial institutions for Ukraine’s rebuilding and recovery, Meloni stated.
“But we can only win this challenge if we are able to count on the robust mobilisation of private capital and its ability to attract investment.”
