Tag Archives: Alessandra Schiavo

ITALY PROVIDES VITAL SUPPORT TO YANGON GOVERNMENT COVID-19 RESPONSE

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Joint News Release

21 January 2021

YANGON, MYANMAR – The Yangon Region Government, Italy, and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)  today marked the contribution of 1 million EURO from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in support of the COVID-19 response, with a ceremony at Aung Myint Moh treatment center in South Dagon Township, Yangon Region.

The Italian contribution has helped WFP provide daily nutritious meals for over 16,000 people, who were receiving medical and quarantine care at Aung Myint Moh, the largest COVID-19 treatment center in Yangon Region in terms of bed capacity.

The Ambassador of Italy to Myanmar, Alessandra Schiavo, said, “COVID-19 is a humanitarian tragedy of global proportions, which requires a strong and coordinated approach. Italy is close to Myanmar and its people and will continue to engage worldwide to overcome the pandemic, by supporting populations in need, by strengthening and funding the research for a vaccine, and by organizing the Global Health Summit, next 21 May in Rome, to make sure we will all get better prepared for future health challenges. Our support today to the Yangon Region and WFP is part of this vision, and part of our longstanding commitment in support of  Myanmar’s sustainable development and stability.”

H.E. U Phyo Min Thein, Chief Minister of the Yangon Region Government said, “The fact that there are good-will supporters for the people of Myanmar really raises up the spirits of those receiving medical care at COVID-19 centers like here.”

The assistance is guided by WFP’s expertise in meal preparation and high levels of food safety standards.

WFP’s Deputy Country Director Marcus Prior said, “Thanks to the excellent coordination by the Yangon Region Government and generous contribution from Italy, our food assistance have reinforced the Government of Myanmar’s front-line fight against the second surge of COVID-19 in an area with one of the most pressing needs for support.”

Yangon has been the most affected region in Myanmar following an exponential increase in local transmission of COVID-19 since mid-August. WFP meals are prepared with high food safety standards, adequately meet daily nutrition needs for patients, including those being treated for COVID-19 infection.

Assisting the Government in curbing the pandemic has been a priority for the Italian Agency for Development and Cooperation since the beginning of the health crisis.

“With this specific intervention, we want to provide our contribution to alleviate the direct consequences of the pandemic on the most vulnerable populations. The support of the international community has become imperative in order to complement the efforts of the Myanmar Government in this direction, and today AICS confirms to be an active stakeholder, thanks to the strong and effective collaboration with WFP,” said Walter Zucconi, Head of Office, AICS Yangon.

In Rakhine State, WFP has provided food assistance to 60 quarantine sites in eight townships since September 2020. Over 100,000 returning migrants undergoing quarantine in 11 states and regions have also received food and nutrition support from WFP.

Italy provides UNFPA 400,000 EUR to Women and Girls First Programme – Phase II

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Joint Press Release UNFPA Myanmar – Italian Embassy in Myanmar – AICS Yangon

Yangon, Myanmar, 27th October — Ms. Alessandra Schiavo, Italian Ambassador to Myanmar and Mr. Ramanathan Balakrishnan, UNFPA Representative for Myanmar signed an agreement for a grant of 400,000 Euro. This funding is to support UNFPA’ Women and Girls First Programme – Phase II (2020 – 2022).

The funding allows UNFPA to continue critical interventions to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV), ensure access to mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services for women, girls, young people in conflict-affected areas, including elderly women, women and girls with disability, LGBTQIA+ and marginalized groups. Bridging the humanitarian, peacebuilding and development nexus, the Women and Girls First Programme is benefitting targeted population across Kachin, Rakhine, Shan, Mon, Kayin and Kayah States.

COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted access to life-saving SRHR, GBV and MHPSS services needed for women, girls and young people in conflict-affected areas. Women and girls are at greater risk of experiencing gender-based violence; adolescents and young people encounter limited access to sexual and reproductive health information, when movement is restricted, livelihoods disrupted and protection systems weakened.

Mr. Ramanathan Balakrishnan said, “Italian Funding for Women and Girls First Programme is coming at the right time. The contribution enables us to ensure continuity of UNFPA support on critical services of GBV and MHPSS to meet the essential needs of conflict-affected women, girls and young people through the programme. With our expertise and strong relationship with local partners, we will invest more in women and girls to further strengthening women empowerment, gender equality, providing access to SRHR and MHPSS services, and encouraging positive social norm changes to prevent GBV in the community.”

UNFPA, United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, continues to deliver critical and life-saving GBV, MHPSS and SRHR services for the most vulnerable women and girls through 33 Women and Girls Centers and mobile and static clinics in Rakhine, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Mon and Shan States.

“Italy intends to contribute to a better future for all women and girls in this Country. The positive results achieved during the first phase of its implementation made Women and Girls First one of the flagship programs in Myanmar for promoting the advancement of women’s right. I am truly honoured to sign this agreement and work in this direction” said H.E. Alessandra Schiavo, Italian Ambassador to Myanmar.

“The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) is fully aligned to the 2030 Agenda. Through this initiative AICS is reaffirming its commitment to end violence against women and girls, reinforcing the peacebuilding component in the humanitarian and development nexus, and also responding to the current health crisis” affirmed Mr. Walter Zucconi, Head of Office at AICS Yangon.

Italy provided 800,000 Euro to Women and Girls First Programme Phase I during 2016-2019. The Women and Girls First Programme is supported by Australia, the EU, Finland, Germany, Italy and Sweden.

Last Meeting of the Management Committee of the Myanmar-Italian Debt for Development Swap Initiative

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On 13th March 2020 in Nay Pyi Taw, the capital of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Director of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in Myanmar, Walter Zucconi, together with the Ambassador of Italy Alessandra Schiavo, attended  the 5th  and last meeting of the Management Committee of the Debt Swap Initiative,  worth approximately USD 3.1 million (2.9 million euros). The initiative is pledged to finance projects and programs promoting social and economic development. On this occasion, the Management Committee officially closed the initiative.

This Debt Swap Initiative originated from the relief of the outstanding Official Development Assistance (ODA) debt owed by Myanmar to the Government of Italy, agreed upon by the countries with the signature of the debt restructuring agreements in March 2013.

The debt swap funds were entirely conferred to the National Community Driven Development Project (NCDDP), a nation-wide government led program that has been active since 2013. NCDDP is mainly aimed at fostering development in rural areas through the construction of small infrastructure based on the community’s self-identified needs. Italy has supported the NCDDP since 2014 via a 20 million euros soft loan. Later in 2016 Italy decided to augment its participation to the program earmarking the debt swap funds for this purpose.

The overall Italian financial support to NCDDP has granted the Italian Cooperation a leading position among the bilateral donors to the national project.

Thanks to the Debt Swap funds, essential infrastructure like roads, schools and public buildings, water distribution systems and public lighting were built in the most remote and inaccessible rural areas of Chin State, involving around 96,000 beneficiaries and reaching important levels of participation and satisfaction among the communities.

“This important contribution provided by the Debt Swap funds to the success of the wider initiative (NCDDP), which is part of the overall Italian support to Rural Development & Social Inclusion, is also a result of stronger partnership established with Myanmar institutions during the implementation of the initiative,” stated AICS Yangon Director Walter Zucconi. Speaking about the significant changes that have occurred within the management of the Official Development Assistance policies in Myanmar, which combine the shared mission to pursue the objectives of the 2030 Agenda, he added:“ The need to review the overall cooperation framework of the Italian Government in the country could be considered. This also required in order to improve AICS alignment with the Sustainable Development Plan of Myanmar (MSDP), founded on a multi-year planning mechanism discussed and agreed between the Parties, aimed at optimizing the impact of the initiatives through results-oriented management.”