Following the opening session of COOPERA in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, the second day of the National Conference on Development Cooperation is taking place today at the Auditorium della Conciliazione and the Corsie Sistine in Rome.
During the opening day, structured into five thematic sessions and two interviews with Minister Tajani, the role of Italian development cooperation in responding to major humanitarian emergencies was explored among other issues. Particular attention was devoted to Italy’s humanitarian engagement in the main crisis areas, from the Middle East to Ukraine and Sudan. Since the beginning of the crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, Italy has allocated over EUR 130 million to humanitarian and development interventions, including the “Food for Gaza” initiative. In Lebanon, a priority country for Italian development cooperation, emergency and assistance interventions for vulnerable communities have been strengthened, also through support to civil society organisations and international agencies. Further interventions were illustrated with reference to Sudan, where Italy supports humanitarian programmes through international partners and Italian civil society organisations (CSOs), and Ukraine, to which Italy has allocated over EUR 150 million in humanitarian assistance, including demining activities and support to the civilian population.
Today’s sessions will be devoted to education, training, research and knowledge as strategic tools to promote sustainable development, social inclusion and stable growth in partner countries. Particular attention will be given to strengthening partnerships between institutions, universities and development cooperation actors, through an integrated approach that enhances the exchange of skills and knowledge between Europe and Africa. The Ministers of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, and of Health, Orazio Schillaci, will be present.
The closing session is scheduled for 3.00 p.m. with a panel in the presence of the Deputy Minister Edmondo Cirielli, dedicated to the contribution of Italian development cooperation to the Mattei Plan for Africa. The discussion will highlight Italy’s partnership model, based on equal partnership, a multi-stakeholder approach and shared growth. Through testimonies from the field and the involvement of representatives of the Italian System and the business community, concrete experiences will be presented in the sectors of agriculture, training and health.
The National Public Conference on Development Cooperation is provided for in Article 16(3) of Law 125/2014, which states that “every three years the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation shall convene a National Public Conference to promote citizens’ participation in the definition of development cooperation policies”. COOPERA therefore represents an important opportunity for dialogue among all actors of the Italian development cooperation system and a tool to bring the wider public closer to Italy’s priorities and initiatives in the field of cooperation and humanitarian assistance. Over 1,400 participants have registered for the Conference, including school and university students.
