The National Council for Development Cooperation (CNCS) is a body comprising the main public and private stakeholders in Italy’s development cooperation system. It is established under Article 16 of Law No. 125/2014 as a permanent platform for participation, consultation, and proposal, and is governed by Ministerial Decree No. 1002/714/BIS of 28 November 2014, as subsequently amended.
The CNCS is chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, or by the Deputy Minister. The Council meets at least once a year to issue opinions on matters concerning development cooperation, particularly with regard to policy coherence, strategies, guidelines, programming, forms of intervention, their effectiveness, and evaluation. The CNCS is also convened to provide its opinion on the Three-year programming and policy planning document for development cooperation, following its review by the Interministerial Committee for Development Cooperation (CICS).
The Secretariat of the CNCS is provided by the Directorate General for Development Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Pursuant to Ministerial Decree No. 1002/714/BIS of 28 November 2014, as amended, the CNCS is composed of three categories of members:
- Ex officio members for the duration of their mandate: The Minister, the Deputy Minister, the Director General of DGCS, the Director of AICS;
- Representatives from the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, other Ministries, public bodies, and networks of civil society organisations, who appoint their own representatives;
- Representatives of private actors, both non-profit and for-profit, as well as other individuals active in development cooperation or selected due to their recognised expertise, appointed by ministerial decree.
As of the establishment of Working Group No. 6 during the 11th CNCS meeting (2 April 2025), the work of the CNCS is structured into six thematic Working Groups, which convene several times a year. Their role is to facilitate and prepare the work of the National Council. The Working Groups contribute to the CNCS by conducting thematic studies, drafting documents, opinions and proposals, and sharing experiences, good practices, and potential joint initiatives in their respective areas. Participation in the Working Groups is open to all full and alternate members of the CNCS. The Coordinators of each group, elected from among their members, may also invite other stakeholders and experts to participate on specific issues.
Below is the list of the six Working Groups and their respective Coordinators.
- Working Group 1 – Follow-up to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: policy consistency, effectiveness and evaluation
Dr Luca De Fraia (Alternate CNCS member for the National Forum of the Third Sector) - Working Group 2 – Strategies and policy guidelines for Italian development cooperation
Dr Maria Egizia Petroccione (Full CNCS member for CINI) - Working Group 3 – The role of the private sector in development cooperation
Dr Roberto Ridolfi - Working Group 4 – Migration and development
Dr Giovanni Lattanzi (Full CNCS member for AOI) - Working Group 5 – Territorial partnerships
Dr Antonio Ragonesi (Alternate CNCS member for ANCI) - Working Group 6 – Higher education and scientific research for innovation and development
Dr Michele Mazzola (Alternate CNCS member for the Ministry of University and Research)
With regard to Working Group No. 2, Councillor Vincenzo Ercole (full member for ANCE) has been appointed Vice-Coordinator.
With regard to Working Group No. 6, the role of Vice-Coordinator will be undertaken by CRUI (Conference of Italian University Rectors).