Italiensk interesse for Arktis

Italia har sterke forbindelser til Arktis, noe som førte til at landet nylig fikk fast observatørstatus i Arktisk Råd.

Det italienske utenriksdepartementet oppsummerer landets interesse for Arktis etter deltakelse under Arctic Frontiers i Tromsø nylig, blant annet ved Giorgio Novello, landets ambassadør i Norge og på island. I  oppsummeringen heter det:

Ambassador Novello also recalled Italy’s presence in the region, most notably in the scientific sector (with the research base in the Svalbard Islands and a strong presence of Italian lecturers and researchers in the region’s universities) and the economic sector. In the latter case, major Italian companies are engaged in the oil and gas, construction, high-tech, and helicopter industries, while our small and medium-sized enterprises are increasingly engaged in the components segment. The Ambassador also sketched out Italy’s vision for the Arctic, in the context of our government’s growing interest in the region.