Tag Archives: Official Development Assistance

Learning English: a key toward Myanmar sustainable development

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The opening ceremony of the English Learning Training Program for the staff of the Foreign Economic Relations Department (FERD) and for the Ministry of Planning, Finance and Industry, took place in Nay Pyi Taw on 21st of July.

The launching ceremony was attended by Mr. Walter Zucconi, Head of Office of AICS Yangon, U Than Aung Kyaw, Daw Saw Kalaya Su Daw Thuzar Khin, respectively Director General, Deputy Director General and Director of the Department of Foreign Economic Relations (FERD) and Mr. Eugene Quah, Edulink Executive Director. The launching ceremony was also the first public event attended by AICS since the outburst of Covid-19 pandemic and we greet it as a first, yet encouraging, omen for the future.

The Training Program is part of the project  “Support to the Official Development Assistance coordination in Myanmar: Capacity Development of Donor Coordination (CAD-MM)” that AICS has funded since 2016 via a 950.000 Euros grant. The project aims to strengthen the effectiveness of Official Development Assistance (ODA) in Myanmar.

The English Learning Training Program will last one year and will see the participation of a new group of 75 students. In 2019, AICS already supported the Department with a first round of English courses for other 80 staff members. These trainings are part of a larger set of activities aimed at supporting FERD in performing its institutional role.

FERD plays a pivotal role for ODA management and coordination in Myanmar and interacts every day with a growing number of international partners. As effective communication is a fundamental prerequisite for cooperation, mastering the English language becomes essential. It eases relationships and promotes partnerships and mutual understanding, in the common spirit of contributing to the sustainable development of Myanmar.

We are proud to spread the seeds of opportunity in a country which is considered a priority by the Italian Development Cooperation, and we are also glad to support high-quality education at the same time. We are proud to work with and for Myanmar people, building friendship that will be further strengthened, improved and that will last into the future” said Mr. Walter Zucconi during its intervention at the opening ceremony, renewing AICS commitment in supporting Myanmar Government Institutions in implementing its sustainable and inclusive development Policy.

 

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.”