Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Edmondo Cirielli, chaired the sixth meeting of the Joint Committee for Development Cooperation in 2024, which approved a significant package of interventions totaling €531 million.
The initiatives approved are a concrete operational follow-up to the June approval of the 2024 Development Cooperation Program by the Joint Committee, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Hon. Antonio Tajani. Africa remains the primary beneficiary of grant-based interventions. Significant programs in health and education were approved for countries such as Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, and the Republic of Congo, in alignment with the Mattei Plan. Additionally, Burkina Faso, Chad, Egypt, Ghana, Libya, Niger, and Senegal will benefit from interventions in health, education, food security, cultural heritage, and employment development.
Other initiatives were also approved for Ukraine and Moldova (energy security), Iraq, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Jordan (cultural heritage protection), as well as Albania, ASEAN countries, El Salvador, Palestine, and Syria. The Joint Committee also gave a favorable opinion on a funding proposal by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti to support Banco do Brasil for sustainable development projects.
Key contributions to international organizations include support for Africa via CIHEAM of Bari, focused on strengthening agri-food ecosystems in Senegal, and to the OECD for the Virtual Platform on Investments in Africa. Additionally, support will be provided to Bioversity International to strengthen food systems in East and Southern Africa.
Finally, seven new AICS (Italian Agency for Development Cooperation) office heads were appointed for African locations: Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Dakar (Senegal), Cairo (Egypt), Kampala (Uganda), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), and Tunis (Tunisia).