The Vice Minister responsible for Development Cooperation, Emanuela Del Re, held separate telephone conversations with Finland’s Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Ville Skinnari, and Germany’s Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, Gerd Mueller, within the framework of regular contacts with her European counterparts.
The talks allowed a fruitful exchange of views on the humanitarian situation in the Horn of Africa, also in the wake of the Tigray and Sahel crisis situations, as well as on the possible cooperation synergies between European countries. In particular, during the talks, the Vice Minister focused on support programs for further strengthening the Somali National University, which has been supported by Italian cooperation since its establishment in 1969. “In this crucial step for the development of Somalia, it is essential to help provide an inclusive and high quality education for Somali youth.
Regarding the Sahel, Ms. Del Re noted with satisfaction that “the Sahel Alliance is now considered a pillar for development within the Coalition for the Sahel, thus increasing its importance in our strategies for the region. We hope that the Alliance may soon start working with the Coalition for the Sahel and the P3S, and support the dialogue with the G5 countries”.
Moving on to cross-cutting topics, the conversations also focused on food security and the Food Coalition, the Italian-backed initiative for a global effort aimed at strengthening the food chains in times of the pandemic and fostering the achievement of the UN objectives of sustainable development. Also, on the subject of health, the Vice Minister stressed how Italy immediately committed to the establishment of multilateral tools for the acceleration and fair distribution of the vaccines and treatments against Covid-19.
