Italy became a Member State of the United Nations on the 14th of December, 1995, and is a strong supporter of multilateral international politics. As of January 2011 Italy was one of the top ten providers of assessed financial contributions to the United Nations peacekeeping operations, contributing 4.999% of the UN budget. Italy has deployed UN peacekeeping troops on missions to East Timor, Mozambique, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Lebanon. In addition Italy has provided support for United Nations and NATO operations in Albania, Bosnia and Kosovo including humanitarian aid workers and other UN officials.

Italy was one of the first countries to host a United Nations organization, with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which was established in 1945 as a specialized United Nations agency, moving from Washington to Rome in 1951. The UN Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court was held in Italy in 1998. Italy also served a term on the United Nations Security Council.

Italy is now home to three United Nations organizations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Program (WFP), along with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) also has an office in Italy, which plays an important role in managing the JPO and Italian Fellowship Programs.

In addition to being a member of United Nations, Italy is also a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the European Union, The Council of Europe, the World Trade Organization, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.