Italy / Cooperation: water and health, new projects in Ethiopia

ROME, Italy, November 17, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The second phase of the DGCS initiative in Ethiopia began with the publication of guidelines for the formulation and presentation of NGO proposals. The project is concerned with risk reduction in the sectors of water, sanitation, environment and health. On 4 August 2011, given the worsening crisis in that country, and following the Ethiopian government's appeal to the international community for humanitarian assistance, the DGCS approved a total of €1.3 million in refinancing for the Aid 9386 emergency fund.

The goal is to consolidate the results achieved in the first phase of the initiative, encouraging new sustainable and lasting solutions. Coordination, facilitation of relations with the authorities and other agencies/organizations working in Ethiopia, technical assistance and monitoring of activities will be ensured by the Embassy of Italy in Addis Ababa, the Cooperation's local technical unit and experts sent by the DGCS.

This new phase will allow the Italian Cooperation to extend its radius of action into the southeast. The regions concerned will be Oromia, Somali Region and SNNPR. Limited availability of water is a chronic problem in Ethiopia, especially in the pasture lands of these regions, where the consequences of the weather phenomenon Niña between late 2010 and 2011 have further compromised access to and use of safe water sources.

The new phase will concern, in particular, local and displaced populations impacted by adverse environmental and climatic conditions, and subject to the migration flows of neighbouring countries, and will seek to reduce and prevent the risk of humanitarian emergency in the sectors of water and health, improve the management of available resources and foster the reduction of medical pathologies associated with water and infant malnutrition. Additionally, the project will also concern human resources development, protection of refugees and displaced persons and improvement of conditions for women.

The projects undertaken will aim at the maximum involvement and collaboration of the local authorities and seek to create synergies with other organizations engaged on the ground in similar or complementary ones.