This year marked the third time ItalCham brought a South African delegation to ECOMONDO, Europe’s leading event for the green, blue and circular economy, held in Rimini from 4–7 November 2025. Over the past three years, the growth of our delegation has mirrored the rising interest of South African stakeholders in Italian and European environmental technologies, demonstrating the country’s commitment to accelerating its own green transition and strengthening its positioning within the global sustainability landscape. This expanding participation is also deepening cooperation between Italy and South Africa, creating new channels for dialogue, business partnerships and long-term collaboration.

This year’s delegation brought together key players from across the sustainability value chain: ECS Associates, Anchora Terra, Hidro-Tech Systems, Reliance Compost, EWaste Africa, Myplas and Resource Innovations Africa, representing sectors such as environmental engineering, carbon management, water and wastewater solutions, composting, e-waste processing, plastic recovery and circular-economy consulting.

With the valuable participation and sector expertise of GreenCape, alongside representatives from the City of Cape Town and the City of Johannesburg, the mission was more than a trade visit: it was a concrete step toward building a cleaner, smarter and more connected future for South Africa. Delegates met Italian and international companies, explored cutting-edge technologies, and engaged in discussions on how circular solutions can be transformed into scalable business opportunities for the African continent.

ECOMONDO 2025 closed its 28th edition with its most international and impactful results to date, confirming its role as a global hub for ecological transition.

Attendance grew by 7%, with a 10% increase in international visitors.

The event hosted:

• over 1,700 exhibitors (18% from abroad)

• more than 800 hosted buyers

• delegations from 65 countries

• around 90 international associations

• more than 200 events addressing key and emerging themes in today’s circular economy

The programme also devoted significant attention to initiatives supporting access to clean and sustainable energy across Africa, developed under the Mattei Plan and the “Mission 300” framework, and presented during the fifth edition of the Africa Green Growth Forum.

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ECOMONDO will return to the Rimini Expo Centre from 3–6 November 2026, and ItalCham will begin preparations for the next South African delegation in the early months of the year. Building on the growing interest and the collaborative opportunities that have emerged through this year’s mission, the 2026 edition aims to further expand this platform by involving additional South African companies and stakeholders committed to sustainability and innovation.