The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in Havana has recently launched the “Ecological Transition Towards Sustainable Municipalities” program, a significant initiative funded by the European Union with 31 million euros. The program, in collaboration with UNDP Cuba, the Cuban Ministry of Economy (MEP), and the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment (CITMA) through the Development Research Center (CEDEL), represents the first delegated cooperation program for AICS in Cuba.
This program, part of the European Commission’s 2021-2027 Annual Indicative Plan, aims to support eight municipalities in the central-western region of Cuba in their ecological transition. The main objectives include promoting agroecology, the use of renewable energies, creating sustainable economic opportunities for youth and women, and strengthening local governance.
Antonio Festa, the director of AICS in Cuba, emphasized the importance and responsibility of leading this program, which will impact approximately 530,000 people at the local level. The project will train over 150 officials and experts in good governance and strengthen 160 agricultural businesses and cooperatives.
The initiative, with a 72-month implementation period, strategically integrates with AICS’s cooperation efforts in Cuba, contributing to the country’s social and economic development and addressing challenges such as climate change and sustainability.
