Italy hosts several United Nations agencies in Rome as well as centres in other cities, facts that clearly demonstrate its openness to the world, deputy foreign minister Emanuela Del Re said on Friday.
"That we host the ILO's International Training Center in Turin, the Food and Agriculture Organisation and World Food Programme in Rome and the UN logistics centre in Brindisi shows our concrete commitment as a country open to the rest of the world'' said Del Re.
Del Re was speaking at an event in Rome to mark the International Labour Organisation's centenary. Rome's mayor Virginia Raggi inaugurated the event and premier Giuseppe Conte was due to make its closing speech.
Notwithstanding the UN's difficulties in preventing conflict in "fragile" parts of the globe, Italy remained committed to multi-lateralism, Del Re said.
"Despite the UN's problems in maintaining peace and security and stability in some fragile areas of the world, keeping Italy firmly anchored to international organisations and their lofty goals is consistent with our value system," Del Re said.
"It is also crucial to our country's long-term national interest," she said.
