Foreign minister Antonio Tajani is on Tuesday set to open the plenary session of the third national public conference on overseas aid and development (Coopera). The event focuses on Italy's responses to major global challenges, humanitarian emergencies, food security and health, and how Rome builds partnerships and fosters sustainable growth and dialogue with countries in Africa and worldwide, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Tajani will at 3pm address the plenary session entitled 'The Great Family of Italian Development Cooperation – Teaming Up Together,' followed by the 'Italy and the Major Humanitarian Crises' panel discussion, the statement said.
Introduced by journalist Giorgia Cardinaletti, the session "will provide an opportunity to present the Italian development cooperation system through the story of an Italy that builds partnerships, promotes sustainable growth, and strengthens dialogue with partner countries, both in Africa and around the world," said the statement.
"This shared commitment involves public administrations, local authorities, universities and research centres, civil society organizations, the private sector, and international organisations, thus contributing to strengthening Italy’s external action and the country’s ability to respond to major global challenges," the statement continued.
The humanitarian emergencies session of the conference will look at food security, health, training, demining, and crisis management, with with a special focus on the operational role and contribution of professionals working in the field, the statement noted.
Several of Italy's overseas aid initiatives will also be presented at the conference, including: the 'Food for Gaza' scheme launched in March 2024 with Rome-based UN agencies Food and Agriculture Organisation, World Food Programme and the Red Cross and Red Crescent; 'Italy for Sudan' which began operations last December; and Italy's financial, humanitarian, reconstrution and recovery aid for Ukraine.
Italy's deputy foreign minister Edmondo Cirielli, health minister Orazio Schillaci and agriculture minister Francesco Lollobrigida are also taking part in the conference, as well as civil society and international organisations, academics, business representatives and leading cultural and sports figures and personalities from the world of entertainment.
Coopera continues through Wednesday with sessions centred on the major challenges facing the world such as education and training, as well on Italy's 5.5 billion Mattei Plan to boost Africa's economic development.
