The COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic presents nations with an opportunity to make the environment a bigger part of development aid, according to Italy's deputy foreign minister Emanuela Del Re.
“For development cooperation, the pandemic crisis can and must become an opportunity to include environmental considerations in our development initiatives, even more than in the past, so as to promote a virtuous cycle,” Del Re said.
Del Re was addressing the 5th annual meeting of Italy's Joint Development Cooperation Committee on Monday which approved projects Africa, the Middle East and Asia and a call for contributions for civil society organisation initiatives for a total of over 181 million euros.
Del Re also gave a debriefing on her recent mission to Somalia and talks with the Ethiopia's minister for peace, Muferiat Kamil on the "worrying" humanitarian situation in the conflict-hit Tigray region, according to the statement.
Italy has "strong expectations for the swift and full implementation of the humanitarian aid corridors, to assist the populations affected by the conflict," the statement cited Del Re as telling the meeting.
After the meeting Del Re attended the signing ceremony of the new tripartite convention between the foreign ministry's directorate-general for development cooperation, Italy's overseas aid agency and the state lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, the statement said.
