May 28 – Lombardy’s exports to Ethiopia increased from €50 million in 2011 to over €77 million in 2012 (+53.5%). This sum accounts for 29% of total national exports to the African country (hovering around €264 million). Italy exports mainly manufactured products (for a value of €76 million), essentially in machinery and equipment (33% total manufacturing exports), various products (17%) and chemicals and chemical products (12%). The Chamber of Commerce of Milan processed data from company records (for 2012 and the first quarter of 2013) and Istat data on 2011 and the fourth quarter of 2012. The findings were released during the “Italy-Ethiopia Business Forum,” organized by Promos, a special agency of the Milan Chamber of Commerce, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia in Rome, the Foreign Ministry, ISPI and Assolombarda. The initiative is part of a larger Promos strategy that focuses on “new” and emerging Sub-Saharan African markets, in order to promote the internationalization of Italian firms in that area.
