The Ambassador of the Italian Republic to the State of Qatar Paolo Toschi said that the State Visit of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to Italy will cement the relations between the two countries and elevate bilateral cooperation to the highest level across all fields.In an interview with the Qatar News Agency (QNA), Toschi said: "We welcome His Highness as a global leader of diplomacy, international law, and as a stalwart supporter of the international multilateral order. We are engaged together in a number of endeavors that are continuing and that we want to further bolster, starting with the many crises that are part of today's global agenda."In this context, he noted that Italy and Qatar have worked together to affirm the rule of international law, provide humanitarian assistance, pursue peaceful resolutions to conflicts rather than violence, and protect civilians under any circumstances. He expressed concern about the situation in Lebanon, where Italy is engaged in the Unifil mission and is working for a ceasefire as G7 President, noting that it is a significant source of concern for everyone.Toschi emphasised that his country supported the Qatari mediation for a ceasefire in Gaza, adding that both countries are working together on the humanitarian front, especially in assisting civilians affected by the war in Gaza, both by providing healthcare assistance and food to the people in the Strip and outside of it. "We continue to do this work, trying to provide food for Gaza, really trying to do everything is in our power to help civilians."On economic collaboration, Toschi explained that economic collaboration has two pillars. The first pillar is mutual direct investments, he said, noting that many Italian companies are already present in Doha and use it as a regional hub for their regional operations. At the same time, Qatari presence in Italy spans across various sectors, from real estate to healthcare, from luxury to hospitality. The intense coordination between Italian and Qatari institutions keeps on fostering direct investments focusing on areas of mutual interest.The second pillar, he clarified, is related to the initiatives undertaken by both countries in third markets of strategic importance, such as Africa.He said: "Within Italys "Mattei Plan", launched by our Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in last January, we are working together to ensure productive investments in Africa that can benefit African communities, empower them, share technology and create sustainable, profitable projects for them. We are undertaking this through bilateral cooperation between us and by involving multilateral institutions such as the African Development Bank and the World Bank."While highlighting the partnership between the two countries in the field of energy, Toschi noted that both nations continue to collaborate on the development of the North Field in Qatar, both in the upstream operations and in the infrastructure development. Italy contributes to Qatars expansion as a global leader in energy markets through cooperation in third markets in the oil&gas as well as in the renewable energies sectors.Toschi anticipated that cooperation between the two countries would further expand in 2025 and 2026. "We are very committed to working together with Qatar in renewable energy and sustainable solutions, including waste to energy processes and other opportunities," he said, stressing that the energy issue is a crucial aspect of the bilateral relations, which continue to grow steadily.Other areas of cooperation include the defense sector, he said, noting that the two countries have strategic and high-level relations, and that mechanisms have been established for the armed forces to work side by side. The Army, Navy, Air Force and Military Police of the two countries developed close ties with the aim of developing expertise and training together, he added.Toschi also addressed other aspects of cooperation, including industrial and technological collaboration, which has achieved significant success and is progressing very effectively. In addition, cooperation in internal security is advancing thanks to the bilateral collaboration between the interior ministries of both countries.In this context, he cited examples of joint efforts, such as upcoming cooperation related to the Winter Olympic Games to be held in Italy in 2026, along with mutual interest in other areas like cybersecurity, as cybersecurity agencies in both countries will work on enhancing their relations and continuing to expand throughout the year.Regarding culture, Toschi said: "I think our countries continue to share the vision that culture is at the basis of everything else, as it shapes each Nations very vision and identity. This is why we are constantly increasing collaborations, both with the Ministry of Culture and with Qatar Museums," noting that there are many joint efforts that have resulted in collaborative initiatives. He added: "One that is particularly notable is Qatar's increasing collaboration with the most important Italian cultural foundations that are supported by the government, the counterparts of Qatar Museums. One is Triennale Milano, which every three years organizes the world leading international expo dedicated to design, and one is the Biennale of Venice, a global beacon for artistic trends and creativity. With the Ministry of Culture, we're working in particular on the publishing and book industry to present more material and more content."In the field of education, Toschi confirmed that there is growing collaboration in the sciences among universities, which is highly valuable, as well as in biomedical fields and in the teaching of Italian language in Doha as well as Arabic in Italy.Toschi concluded by highlighting another important aspect of bilateral cooperation related to infrastructure, justice, tourism, and food security, saying that both countries have several ongoing areas of work and are working to expand them over the next few years. "The partnership between Italy and Qatar has a strategic value embedded in the constant coordination between our leadership, in the close ties between our people and in the growing figures of our economic exchanges. This State Visit is the proof of its flourishing and, at the same time, a spur to do even more in the future".