Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Edmondo Cirielli, received today at the Farnesina the United Nations Under-Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (OCHA), Tom Fletcher.
The meeting reaffirmed Italy’s central role within the UN multilateral system and provided an opportunity to discuss future cooperation with OCHA and other United Nations humanitarian agencies in the main crisis areas. Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, Syria and the Sahel countries – there is no crisis where Italian cooperation is not at the forefront, placing affected populations at the centre and engaging all actors within the Italian system, particularly civil society. Special attention was given to the situations in Palestine and Sudan, where Italy, at the initiative of Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani, is actively involved through the Food for Gaza and Italy for Sudan programmes, respectively.
The discussions also focused on the ongoing reform of the UN humanitarian system, aimed at reducing costs, bureaucracy and duplication in the management of humanitarian funding. In this regard, the Deputy Minister expressed appreciation for the reform process and Italy’s willingness to work together to make the multilateral humanitarian response system more efficient and effective.