Italy would provide Pakistan a grant of 7.7 million euros for the promotion and the development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector in Pakistan. The agreement in this regard was signed on behalf of Pakistan by Minister for Investment and Privatisation Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh and on behalf of Italian government by foreign Minister Ms Margherita Boniver.
The signing ceremony was held during meeting of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi at the latter's office. Another agreement was also signed on this occasion by Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri and his Italian counterpart Ms Margherita Boniver, to promote diplomatic relations between the two countries through exchange of delegations and enhancing co-operation.