SACE’s “Energies for the Future of Export” Roadshow Lands at the Hub for Made in Italy in Dubai
Over one hundred companies from across the Gulf region – from infrastructure and energy to food & beverage, and from manufacturing to industrial machinery – took part in “Energies for the Future of Export” in Dubai, the first and only stop outside Italy of the travelling roadshow organised by SACE, the Export Credit Agency wholly owned by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance, dedicated to dialogue and engagement with Italian exporters.
A special edition, the only one held abroad, organised in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy and hosted at Italiacamp’s Hub for Made in Italy in Dubai. The initiative is part of a broader journey across Italy (the SACE roadshow has already visited Milan, Venice and Naples, and will soon reach Bologna, Florence and Rome) with the aim of gathering the emerging needs of Italian companies, also in light of a constantly evolving economic context. These insights will be used to jointly shape SACE’s future strategies and instruments and to fully enhance the growth potential of Italian exports worldwide.
The Dubai event opened with remarks by UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Fahad Al Gergawi and the Italian Ambassador to the UAE, Lorenzo Fanara, followed by the welcome address of SACE Chairman Guglielmo Picchi. An overview of trends and opportunities for Italian exports was offered by Giovanni Piccolo, First Secretary at the Embassy of Italy, and Leo Cisotta, General Manager Italiacamp EMEA. At the heart of the event, moderated by Mariangela Siciliano, Head of Education & Connects Solutions at SACE, was an extensive listening session with businesses, featuring contributions from Mohammed Riaz, CEO of Riaz & Partner, Rosa Piro, Chief Investment Officer at Arada, Marco Zacchei, Business Development Manager at Trevi, alongside Ciro Aquino, Regional Manager Middle East at SACE and Head of the Dubai Office. The event concluded with closing remarks by SACE Chief Executive Officer Michele Pignotti.
“The United Arab Emirates are a priority destination within Italy’s Export Plan,” said H.E. Lorenzo Fanara, Italian Ambassador to the UAE. “Trade relations between our two countries are strong and expanding: Italian exports nearly reached €8 billion in 2024 and recorded a further 17% increase in the first nine months of 2025. The remarkable participation of Dubai’s business community in initiatives such as the one organised today with SACE is a concrete sign of this potential and gives new momentum to the prospects of Made in Italy in the region.”
Leo Cisotta, General Manager of Italiacamp EMEA, commented: “Hosting this special stop of ‘Energies for the Future of Export’, the only international appointment of SACE’s roadshow, at our Hub for Made in Italy in Dubai confirms how strategic the relationship with the United Arab Emirates is for the growth of the Italian system, given the strong demand for Italian solutions, expertise and technologies in key sectors for the development of this area of the Gulf. Through Italiacamp and our hubs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, we work to build a stable bridge between Italy and one of the most dynamic economic environments in the world, providing companies with know-how, relationships, spaces and advisory services to fully seize the opportunities of this market.”
SACE Chairman Guglielmo Picchi underlined: “Exports are the main engine of growth for Italy’s economy, and we at SACE, as the Italian Export Credit Agency, have the responsibility to pave the way for Made in Italy in the highest-potential markets. In the United Arab Emirates, we expect annual growth rates of 10.7% for our exports over the next two years and we work alongside companies in this direction, supported by our Dubai office, which has now been operating for more than ten years.”
SACE Chief Executive Officer Michele Pignotti concluded: “In the UAE, SACE has a portfolio of commitments worth €4 billion and a further €2 billion in potential transactions under review for 2026, not only in traditional sectors but increasingly also in future-oriented industries. It is this wealth of experience that we are drawing on today to better understand challenges and opportunities and to strengthen the tools that can give additional momentum to the future of our companies and our exports, in line with SACE’s institutional mission and the mandate of the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Economy and Finance.”
Focus on Italian Exports
Italian exports to the United Arab Emirates nearly reached €8 billion in 2024 (+19% compared to the previous year), and the first nine months of 2025 show a further double-digit increase (+17.4% compared to the same period of the previous year). These figures are part of a very positive long-term trend: Italian exports to the UAE have grown at a sustained pace for several years (over +50% in the last decade), with an increasingly diversified sector composition reflecting the strong focus of the entire region on future-oriented industries.
Over time, traditional Made in Italy sectors in the UAE (Fashion, Furniture and Food) have consolidated their export shares, while at the same time some specific product categories have grown, in line with the needs of a rapidly expanding economy that invests in diversified sectors to maintain and strengthen its role as a regional hub, particularly through infrastructure projects, transport and tourism.
The composition of Made in Italy exports to the UAE therefore shows a significant flow of consumer goods, which account for almost half of Italian exports to the federation. These include jewellery, costume jewellery, leather goods and furniture (30% of the total), textiles and clothing (11%), and food and beverages (4%). Also relevant is the export of machinery (19% of the total), electrical equipment and chemicals/pharmaceuticals (8% each), and transport equipment (7%), all of which are increasingly integrated into the Emirati production system.
According to SACE’s estimates, Italian exports to the UAE are expected to grow by an average of 10.7% over the next two years.