Lima – Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Maria Tripodi has wrapped up the first leg of Italy's business mission to Latin America, following Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani's visit last September.

In Lima, Tripodi launched the inaugural Italy–Peru Business Forum, aimed at expanding the footprint of Italian companies in a market driven by strong public and private investment growth prospects.
"The solid trade and economic relations between our two nations are fueled by an Italian business community deeply integrated into Peru's social and productive fabric," Tripodi stated. She highlighted the energy, mining, and agricultural sectors while identifying infrastructure and transport as key drivers for a major leap forward in strategic partnership, alongside scientific and technological cooperation.
During her visit, Tripodi co-chaired the sixth meeting of the Italy–Peru Political Consultation Mechanism with Peruvian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Eric Anderson Machado. Discussions focused on bilateral political cooperation, trade relations, investments, strategic projects, development assistance, disaster risk management, and joint efforts against transnational crime. The talks also addressed cultural ties, tourism, consular affairs, direct flight connections, and key regional and global issues.
The dynamic nature of bilateral trade is backed by recent data: in 2025, trade between Italy and Peru reached €1.69 billion, a 19% increase compared to 2024. In the first half of 2026, trade hit €922 million, representing a further 10.2% year-over-year growth and consolidating a positive trend that has effectively doubled trade volume compared to 2019 levels.