President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva received the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, at Copacabana Fort, in Rio de Janeiro, before the G20 meeting, to discuss strategic issues and strengthen the historic partnership between the two countries.
Meloni, who currently chairs the G7, highlighted the deep cultural and social ties between the nations, noting that Brazil is home to 800 thousand Italian citizens and 30 million descendants, about 20% of the country's population.
One of the main points on the agenda was the Enel's performance, an energy company with Italian state participation.
Lula emphasized the need for improvements in the services provided by the concessionaire, which has been the target of criticism following blackouts in the metropolitan region of São Paulo last year.
During the meeting, Brazilian representatives warned that the company does not currently meet the criteria required for the renewal of distribution concessions in the country.
Meloni's delegation was informed about consumer dissatisfaction with Enel's service in critical situations, and that adjustments would be essential to ensure the continuity of operations in accordance with Brazilian rules.
Although privatized in 1999, the Italian government still holds 23,6% of the company's shares, maintaining influence on their decisions.
Meloni also reinforced the commitment of Italian companies to Brazil, announcing plans to invest 40 billion euros and highlighting the interest in updating economic partnership agreements, with a focus on development, energy transition and food security.
