Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte sought to reassure Europe that forthcoming coronavirus recovery funds would be spent wisely to revive the battered economy after a crippling lockdown.

In an exclusive interview to AFP, the leader of Europe's third largest economy said Italy's share of the 750 billion euro ($845 billion) recovery plan agreed by the European Commission would be the impetus to fix longstanding problems at home.

“It's an opportunity for us to design a better Italy, to work on a serious, comprehensive investment plan that will make the country more modern, greener, and more socially inclusive,” Conte said.