Relations with national, European and international institutions and advocacy actions

During 2018, inititatives to develop relations with international institutions and bodies, in the interest of the Group and its stakeholders were promoted with the broader aim of supporting growth and stability of the national system as a whole. In this context, advocacy activities on regulatory issues of international relevance were implemented, together with the monitoring of the main economic and geopolitical events and the concrete support to the internationalisation process of small, medium and large enterprises.

Within the scope of the most important international initiatives which benefited from the participation and support of Intesa Sanpaolo, worthy of note were the proceedings of ROME 2019 – MED Mediterranean Dialogues – Beyond Turmoil, a Positive Agenda, an event organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and by ISPI, under the auspices of the President of the Italian Republic. MED Dialogues took place over 3 days and was attended by more than 40 world leaders, including Presidents, Prime Ministers and Ministers and nearly 1000 entrepreneurs, academicians, representatives of major international organisations as well as scholars and experts from over 50 Countries. In the 2019 edition, more than 40 Conference sessions were organised around four pillars: "Shared security”, “Shared prosperity”, “Migration” and “Culture and civil society”. MED Dialogues intends to contribute to tackling the challenges and opportunities posed by the “enlarged Mediterranean”, by highlighting the great opportunities that it offers by putting in place a positive agenda. The debate focused on strategic issues such as the principal regional crises – with a focus on Libya and Syria – the challenges posed by ongoing transition processes, the geopolitical competition between different regional players, terrorism and the fate of ISIS , managing migration flows and the geopolitical impact of climate change, the new energy scenarios, and the role of investments and technological innovation in the region. To enhance the contribution of ideas and proposals, 10 preparatory meetings (Towards MED) were organised in Doha, Geneva, Brussels, Rome, Abu Dhabi, Moscow, Beirut, Washington, New York and Riyadh. 

In order to ensure reliability and security to customers and stakeholders, as well as to maintain solid growth in its international credibility, Intesa Sanpaolo has been following developments which, in both the short and long term, have led to and may bring about change in international geopolitical equilibria.
The monitoring of international geopolitics was carried out during 2019 through meetings and conferences organized and held with the main international think-tanks with whom the Group cooperates: Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs, Istituto per gli Studi di Politica Internazionale, Istituto Affari Internazionali, Centre for European Policy Studies, The Brookings Institutions, Peterson Institute of International Economics and the Fondazione Internazionale OASIS. At the same time, the monitoring of international geopolitics was also implemented through constant contacts with the Representatives of foreign countries of interest to the Group. Particular attention in this area was dedicated to the evolution of financial restrictive measures ("trade sanctions"), whose timely update is necessary for the Group to proactively plan responsible international activities and presence.

In 2019, an important relationship with UNIDO's ITPO Italy was also developed. The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is a specialized agency within the United Nations. Its mandate is to promote and accelerate Sustainable and Inclusive Industrial Development (ISID) for developing countries and economies in transition, and to work to improve living conditions in the poorest countries in the world. UNIDO's global network promotes reliable foreign and local investments and sustainable technology, through partnerships between the private and public sector, aimed at generating an inclusive growth in developing countries. The network includes offices (Investment and Technology Promotion Offices - ITPOs) in Baharain, China, South Korea, Japan, Russia, Nigeria, Germany and Italy.

The ITPO - Investment Technology Promotion Office of UNIDO in Italy, based in Rome, has been operating since 1987 under an agreement signed between UNIDO and the Italian Government. The office has the mandate to contribute to the industrial development and economic growth of developing countries, identifying and promoting technical, financial and managerial resources in order to achieve employment, economic competitiveness and environmental protection. ITPO Italy has launched specific industrial development programs aimed at involving various sectors where Italy excels, such as agro-food, textiles, tanning-footwear, renewable energies. This commitment is mainly based on the promotion of the industrial partnership, on the improvement of technological and quality standards and on the capacity-building of the cooperating institutions.

Intesa Sanpaolo took part in the Eastern Africa Business Forum held in Rome - under UNIDO aegis - in June 2019, which gathered over 250 participants including more than 70 African companies from all the countries of the Area.