ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Italy have agreed to pursue Centres of Excellence for marble and stone processing and for agricultural technology focused on olive-oil production, following bilateral meetings in Rome. Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the proposals on 13 October.
Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Syed Tauqir Hussain Shah met Italian Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Maria Tripodi and Foreign Ministry Secretary General Ambassador Riccardo Guariglia while leading Pakistan’s delegation to the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum. Discussions covered trade, investment, technology, scientific cooperation and development partnerships.
Proposed marble-processing centre
The Foreign Ministry said the two sides agreed to establish a Centre of Excellence for extracting and finishing Pakistani marble and commercially valuable stones, including granite, onyx and travertine. The proposed centre would focus on technical skills and processing capacity, areas that can affect product quality and export prospects.
The Italian Trade Agency also discussed a forthcoming Pakistan visit by the director general of the Italian International Institute for Marble. No confirmed opening date, location or investment budget for the proposed centre was announced.
Olive-oil mechanisation
The two countries also agreed to establish an agricultural technology Centre of Excellence focused on mechanising olive-oil production with Italian machinery. The proposal follows an agriculture memorandum of understanding concerning olive oil.
The Foreign Ministry highlighted Italian support for the Olive Culture Scale-Up Project, implemented by CIHEAM Bari across four provinces and covering approximately 20,000 hectares. It also acknowledged assistance in developing Pakistan’s National Olive Value Chain Policy, launched in August 2026.
Separate existing commitments
The talks reviewed a €20 million soft-loan agreement signed in June 2026 for agricultural technical and vocational education and training, including separate centres for citrus in Sargodha and dates in Turbat. Those earlier commitments should not be confused with the newly proposed marble and olive technology facilities.
Pakistan and Italy also have a history of technical training cooperation in textiles, leather and footwear, including centres established in Faisalabad and Lahore in 2020.
The new marble and olive centres are proposals, not operational facilities. Their locations, financing, implementation partners and opening dates await further announcements.
Sources: Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 13 October 2026; Associated Press of Pakistan.