Yesterday, Vice Minister Marina Sereni chaired the seventh and last meeting of the 2021 Joint Development Cooperation Committee, attended by the Director General for Development Cooperation, Ambassador Giorgio Marrapodi, and the Director of the Italian Development Cooperation Agency, Luca Maestripieri, and, limitedly to the issues relating to aid credits, the Director of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Leone Gianturco, delegated by the Director General of the Treasury.
Information was also presented on the Migration Fund by the Director General for Italians Abroad and Migration Policies, Luigi Maria Vignali, and on the implementation of a Cassa Depositi e Prestiti initiative by Antonella Baldino.
At the meeting, a significant package of 25 cooperation initiatives, for a total value of 86.3 million euros, was approved, namely 35 million euros in aid credits to Mozambique, for the promotion of the agri-food sector; approximately 48 million euros for the implementation of initiatives in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East in the areas of socio-economic development, food security, environmental protection, governance, education and school infrastructure, health and healthcare services, gender equality and support for female entrepreneurship, as well as approximately 3.3 million euros of voluntary contributions to International Organisations.
“I am satisfied that at the last meeting of the Joint Committee in 2021 – commented the Vice Minister – we managed to launch a substantial package of initiatives and projects, with a significant financial effort. In 2022 we need to consolidate the work started last year, gradually ensuring that the Italian Development Cooperation system strengthens its action, with the same enthusiasm and commitment in an increasing trend of resources”.
