Alfano, 250 million euros for development cooperation

Rome - The Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Angelino Alfano, made the following statement at the end of the meeting of the Joint Development Cooperation Committee on May 19: "Today we approved a set of cooperation projects, programmes and tenders amounting to nearly 250 million euros. It is further proof of the Government's commitment in the field of development cooperation - a major strategic investment and a pillar of our foreign policy."

Minister Alfano especially stressed the relevance of "the Government's primary commitment for international vaccination projects," for which the very same Joint Development Cooperation Committee meeting approved the granting of 12 million euros to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization while a total of 2.5 euros were given to WHO and UNICEF to eradicate polio in Afghanistan. "I am also particularly glad that three projects of mine for Ethiopia, Sudan and Niger were approved today. They will be financed through the African Fund for a total value of six and a half million euros. They promote the development of some the most vulnerable groups - women and children - and tackle the root causes of migration phenomena," added Mr Alfano.

The important support given to international organizations, including the ones headquartered in Italy,will continue. "I would like to single out our contribution to the FAO and the IILA,the Italian Latin American Institute. On this same day of May 19, the Director General of the FAO, Graziano Da Silva, and the Secretary General of the IILA, Donato Di Santo,signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote food security in Latin America," said the Minister.