Codeway is one of Italy's main forums for dialogue between international organizations, development institutions, and Italian companies with an interest in global markets. Held annually, it brings together a broad mix of participants, from public finance institutions and regional governments to private sector actors exploring opportunities in international development, procurement, and sustainable investment. For organizations like UNDP Rome Centre, it represents a useful space to connect with Italian counterparts, present ongoing programmes, and have direct conversations with companies that could become future partners or suppliers. 

In May 2026, the Rome Centre joined the expo for the first time with a dedicated stand, alongside colleagues from other UN agencies including UNOPS, FAO, WFP, and UNIDO. The event brought together a wide cross-section of the Italian development ecosystem, including institutions such as SACE, SIMEST, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and regional governments. Over three days, Rome Centre staff participated in several panel discussions and engaged directly with Italian private sector representatives across a range of thematic areas central to the Centre's work.

Presenting the Rome Centre offer

We presented the Centre's programmatic offer during an Arena session focused on collaboration opportunities within the UN system. The presentation highlighted Rome Centre's work in energy, climate finance, and private sector engagement, with specific reference to ongoing programmes including PISTA and Energy for Growth in Africa. A separate panel on international procurement, organized jointly with colleagues from UNOPS, FAO, and WFP, addressed the strategic value of the UNDP procurement market for Italian companies and the practical steps required to access international tenders.

Thematic panels across three days

Participation extended across multiple sessions throughout the fair. Rome Centre colleagues contributed to a UNIDO-organized panel on the blue economy, with a focus on Youth4Climate and its upcoming study visit. UNDP joined a panel alongside partners from Sogesid, ACEA, Mattei Plan, and AICS to discuss how stronger partnerships, climate resilience, and investment-ready infrastructure can help transform water challenges into long-term development opportunities across Africa – including through ongoing work supporting sustainable urban water systems in the Republic of the Congo. A further session, organized in collaboration with CIHEAM Bari, explored the role of local innovation ecosystems and public-private partnerships in supporting green and digital transformation in Africa.

Why events like Codeway matter

For UNDP Rome Centre, Codeway offered a practical setting to engage with Italian companies and institutions that are active, or looking to become active, in the geographies and sectors where Rome Centre operates. Italy is Rome Centre's primary donor partner, and strengthening connections with the broader Italian ecosystem, beyond government ministries, is an important part of how the Centre builds the private sector relationships its programmes depend on. Building these connections is part of a broader effort to attract private sector interest into the clean energy and climate adaptation projects that the Centre supports across more than 68 countries. UNDP Rome Centre will continue to look for opportunities to deepen this engagement through 2026, including through its private and public partnership activities and events tied to its flagship initiatives.