Foreign minister Luigi Di Maio on Monday signed a more than one billion euro pact to propel Italy's exports as the country strives to recover from the economic devastation caused by the Covid-19 coronavirus.
"Over a billion euros will be made available to large, medium and small companies," Di Maio wrote on Facebook.
"This is the moment to look forwards and to the future of Italy, its businesses families and workers who can return to living their lives serenely. We can and will make it," the post added.
The "major" pact will re-launch Italian goods in the world - a process that will be "a long journey," Di Maio wrote.
"Today's date is important, not just because is signals a revival but because Italy must return to believing in itself and promoting its excellences and products globally," he continued.
"Never before has it been so crucial to give sufficient tools to companies to export abroad.
Economists estimate the Covid-19 pandemic and shutdown measures to contain it will wipe some 9% off Italy's economic output this year amid the deepest global recession since 1945-46, which is expected to crimp global GDP by more than 5% and to slash international trade.
