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Liberia: Huge Italian Delegation in Town With Package
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The Inquirer (Monrovia)
7 March 2008
Posted to the web 7 March 2008
The Italian Government is to shortly provide 1Million Euros to the Ministry of Gender and Development of Liberia in a bid to help develop Liberia's gender program.
The fund which will channel through the United Nations Women Fund (UNIFEM) will also help develop the capacity of women in this post conflict era.
According to the Giuseppe Morabito, Minister Plenipotentiary and Deputy Director General for Development Cooperation in Italy, his government is interested in helping various sectors of Liberia's development.
In an interview with the INQUIRER, Mr. Morabito who heads the Italian delegation currently visiting the country said his government would provide 1 Million Euros which is an equivalent of US$1.5M to the ministry of gender.
The Italian official said the donation is being made to the gender ministry because women in Africa are playing a meaningful role for democracy and their countries' development.
He said the Italian government also intends to assist Liberia in the health sector by assessing and helping the medical college at the University of Liberia and assist in food security.
Mr. Morabito said his government is also collaborating with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for the implementation of food security in Liberia and it is expected that an agreement would be signed today in that regard.
Yesterday, the delegation had a lengthy meeting with the minister of health and other stakeholders for possible assistance to the medical college.
The Italian official also expressed the hope that more Italian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) would come and begin work in Liberia.
He urged the international community to help develop Liberia in terms of its security and the promotion of democracy; something which according to him is essential for a country coming out of war.
Mr. Morabito said his delegation's visit to the country is a follow up of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's visit to Italy last year; saying, " Italy is willing to cooperate with Liberia in her development initiatives and change the lives of many people. We are ready to put more money into this effort."
Also speaking to the INQUIRER, Deputy Foreign Minister Commany Wesseh lauded the Italian delegation for visiting Liberia as a follow up on President Sirleaf's trip to that that country.
He said the Government of Liberia is also trying to encourage the Italian government to put interest in the infrastructure sector of Liberia, especially to help with the Monrovia drainage system which Italy helped to build.
Minister Wesseh disclosed that the Italian delegation would also be meeting with the Monrovia City Corporation to discuss possible areas of assistance to the City of Monrovia.
He also said they are here to do something about the medical college because that issue came up during the visit of President Sirleaf's visit to Italy.
"They have said they would help in the health sector and tomorrow we would be signing an agreement to help support our agriculture sector," he said.
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Earlier, a reception was tendered in honor of the delegation at the C. Cecil Dennis Auditorium at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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