ITALY REPUBLIC DAY 2026: MARILINA ARMELLIN, Ambassador of Italy to Pakistan
In 2026, Italy celebrates the 80th anniversary of the Italian Republic, commemorating the 2 June 1946 referendum in which the Italian people chose the Republic over the monarchy. It was the first national election in which Italian women were allowed to vote. I am proud to be the first woman Ambassador appointed to Pakistan since Italy recognised the country soon after its independence in 1947 and established formal diplomatic relations in 1948.
Over the past 78 years, our relationship has developed into a broad partnership spanning migration, trade, culture, science, development co-operation, multilateral engagement, defence and security. It is a relationship rooted in mutual respect, shared economic interests, common ethical and social values, and joint diplomatic engagement in multilateral fora.
Building on the sixth session of bilateral political consultations among the Secretaries-General of our Ministries of Foreign Affairs in 2025, the relationship has become more structured, sector-focused, and institutionally anchored. Italy views Pakistan as an indispensable partner for regional stability and shares its preference for multilateral solutions, with an emphasis on economic diplomacy and sustainable development, in line with broader European Union priorities. Italy recognises Pakistan’s willingness to act as an honest broker between the United States and Iran, and this was reflected at the highest level in the recent phone call between our two Prime Ministers, Shehbaz Sharif and GiorgiaMeloni. More broadly, Italy and Pakistan have maintained a long-standing partnership on United Nations reform, particularly through the Uniting for Consensus group, with a shared focus on a more balanced UN Security Council. Parliamentary exchanges have also gathered pace, with the activation of the Italy–Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Group. At the same time, initial steps have been taken to strengthen co-operation between the judicial systems of our two countries.
Migration remains a cornerstone of co-operation between Pakistan and Italy, which hosts the largest community of people of Pakistani origin in the European Union. In May 2025, Pakistan offered a warm welcome to our Interior Minister, Matteo Piantedosi, whose visit led to the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding on Migration and Labour Mobility. A declaration was also signed to establish a Joint Committee on Preventing and Combating Transnational Organised Crime. Our partnership is now entering a more mature and strategic phase, centred on areas that combine economic opportunity with innovation and sustainability, notably through organisedlabour mobility and targeted vocational training. For the first time in many years, Italy has reserved in 2026 a specific quota of work permits for Pakistanis who have an offer of employment in Italy (10.500 in 2026-2028). Joint work is continuing towards a “Skill Passport” framework designed to align the professional and linguistic skills of Pakistani youth with the evolving needs of the Italian labour market, particularly in healthcare, hospitality, information technology and advanced engineering.
The opening of the Italian Trade Agency office in Islamabad in 2023 has further strengthened commercial ties, while the vibrant Pakistani diaspora in Italy has also facilitated valuable business contacts and, in some cases, the conclusion of contracts. It remains a priority for this Embassy, working hand in hand with the Embassy of Pakistan in Rome, to strengthen diaspora networks by fostering closer social and business links between our two countries, while supporting remittances as well as skills and technology transfer. I am confident that the Pakistani community in Italy can play an even greater role than it already does as a business bridge not only to Italy, but also to other European economies.
The success of the European Union–Pakistan Business Forum, held in April 2026 and attended by many Italian companies, testifies to the solidity of our ties. Thanks to GSP+, Pakistan continues to enjoy a strong bilateral trade surplus. A denser presence of Pakistani companies at Italian trade exhibitions — which our Embassy is committed to supporting through business visas — could further expand exports to the European market, while continued macroeconomic stability and reform in Pakistan are attracting growing interest from Italian businesses. I was able to observe this through the many exchanges I had with the Italian business community at the recent Italian Ambassadors’ Conference in Milan, where I noted particular interest in industrial technology transfer, especially in agribusiness and manufacturing, as well as in green energy, agriculture, food production and hospitality.
Several Italian companies have established a meaningful presence in Pakistan. In healthcare, a well-known Italian group has long supported neonatology by providing therapies for premature babies, including treatment for respiratory distress syndrome and apnoea of prematurity. In construction and design, Italian firms have contributed to the quality and functionality of residential and commercial projects, including through premium finishes, environmentally responsible coating systems, waste-management solutions, and much more. The recent progressive reduction of customs duties should further encourage entrepreneurial activity, as Pakistan moves to diversify its export capabilities beyond textiles and is likely to require more of the capital goods that the Italian mechanical engineering and packaging industries are well placed to deliver.
In the same spirit of legal mobility and stronger people-to-people ties, Italy is committed to supporting Pakistani students with a credible educational project in pursuing tertiary education in Italy. Our country offers affordable tuition, a number of scholarships, including regional grants and EU-supported programmes, and globally recognised universities, particularly in fields such as engineering, design, architecture and agriculture. Students also benefit from a growing range of English-taught programmes and from the rich cultural experience of studying in Italy.
Another long-standing and deeply cherished field of bilateral co-operation is cultural heritage. In 1955, at the initiative of the last WaliMiangul of the former State of Swat, Professor Giuseppe Tucci founded the Italian Archaeological Mission in Pakistan. Excavations began soon afterwards, and last year we celebrated the 70th anniversary of the mission. Supported by the Italian Government and carried forward in partnership with leading academic institutions, the mission has made an exceptional contribution to the excavation, restoration and study of Gandharan art and of Pakistan’s wider archaeological heritage.
The Swat Museum, first opened in 1958 and redesigned and rebuilt in 2014 through Italian-Pakistani collaboration, stands as a lasting symbol of this shared commitment. Over the decades, the hand-in-hand work of Pakistani and Italian experts has helped preserve and showcase some of the country’s most important archaeological treasures, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as at the historic site of Banbhore in Sindh.
This collaboration is now opening new avenues through the “Khyber PATH” project, launched in 2026 and implemented by the Italian Archaeological Mission under the direction of Professor Luca Maria Olivieri of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. By linking heritage with local professional pathways in ecotourism and sustainable development, the project reflects Italy’s enduring commitment to raising the global awareness and profile of Pakistan’s cultural legacy.
In recent years, Pakistan has consistently remained among the priority countries for Italian development co-operation. Italy currently manages a portfolio of 17 initiatives in Pakistan, totalling approximately €169.5 million. These projects are organised under the “Person”, “Planet” and “Prosperity” pillars to promote inclusive and climate-resilient growth, water management, disaster-risk reduction and renewable energy.
A flagship initiative is the “Scale-Up Olive Culture” programme, which has expanded olive cultivation to more than 6.9 million trees across 60 districts. The project contributed to the drafting of Pakistan’s first National Olive Policy in 2025, helping reduce dependence on edible oil imports, and to the launch of the National Olive Oil Council. In Gilgit-Baltistan, the Economic Transformation Initiative, co-financed with IFAD, supports 40,000 farmers by improving rural infrastructure and value chains. Dairy and food processing are other areas being considered for future co-operation.
Italy and Pakistan also cooperate closely in addressing climate change, particularly in light of Pakistan’s status as one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries and following the devastating 2025 monsoon floods, which affected 6.9 million people. This co-operation is centred on the “Planet” pillar, under which all active projects prioritise SDG 13 on climate action. Italy is also supporting the ecological conversion of brick kilns in Punjab to reduce carbon emissions and improve labour safety.
Much more could be said, but as my tenure in Pakistan comes to an end this month, I am confident that the teams in Islamabad and Karachi will remain fully committed to further broadening and strengthening the bonds between our two countries and peoples.
Viva la RepubblicaItaliana!
Pak-Italy dostizindabad!
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026