The Azerbaijani Food Safety Institute (AQTI) and Italian National Health Institute (ISS) have signed a memorandum of cooperation, Azernews reports.

The document was signed during a meeting between a delegation of AQTI and staff of the ISS in Rome, Italy.

During the meeting, extensive presentations on the activities of both institutions were made. The parties discussed areas of cooperation, exchanged experiences, and discussed the establishment of cooperation between the National Reference Laboratories of the two countries.

The diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on May 8, 1992. The first embassy of Italy among the Southern Caucasus republics was opened in Azerbaijan in 1997 and the embassy of Azerbaijan to Italy has been functioning since 2003.

The two countries' trade turnover was $9.6 billion in 2021, with Italy being Azerbaijan's main trade partner.

Azerbaijan is a major supplier of energy resources to Italy. In Azerbaijan, over 100 Italian companies operate in various fields. Further, Italian firms have contracts worth more than €10 billion ($11.8 billion) for Azerbaijani projects both inside and outside the country.

Azerbaijan's total investment in the Italian economy is estimated to be around €1.7 billion ($2 billion), with Italy investing approximately €770 million ($910.8 million) in Azerbaijan.

Further, Italy was one of the first countries to express support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, as well as an interest in participating in the restoration of Azerbaijan's liberated territories. Thus, Italy and Israel have already launched a joint project to build a smart village in the liberated Zangilan region.