Italy’s South on the global market: opportunities and challenges

The seminar on “Italy’s Mezzogiorno in the global market: opportunities and challenges”, held as part of the Aspen Seminars for Leaders program, examined the fact that in Italy’s Mezzogiorno (or Southern regions) includes regions that are among the country’s most suited to a form of development which is not solely linked to their obvious value in terms of tourism but is also ideal for attracting international investment and qualified personnel, as well as being conducive to these regions hosting the headquarters of companies with a high level of technological innovation and a propensity for research. Southern Italy today is an area in flux, experiencing both intense change and resistance. Services and infrastructure are improving but too slowly, and exports and tourist flows are increasing whilst employment remains sluggish and productivity is not growing as much as it should. Against this backdrop, certainty over rules, legality and safety, and leadership renewal are key elements without which there can be no development. The seminar thus contributed to formulating proposals and plans for making Southern Italy more competitive in the global market.