Inauguration of the water schemes in Fiche and Gebre Guracha, Oromia

Posted on 26/05/201919/09/2019 by AICS Addis Abeba

On 25 May 2019 we inaugurated the water schemes in Fiche and Gebre Guracha, Oromia at the presence of the State Minister of the Ministry for Water, Irrigation and Electricity of Ethiopia, Dr. Negash, and of the Vice-President of Oromia Region, Dr. Ahmad Tusa.

The realization of the water schemes is one of the outcomes of the bilateral program “Support to the WaSH sector in urban areas”, co-finances by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, the French Development Agency and the European Investment Bank. The program aims to improve the access to safe water small and medium towns of Ethiopia with 2000 up to 10000 inhabitants for the construction and rehabilitation of infrastructures and donations for capacity-building activities at both federal level and at the level of the Town Water Supply Offices.

The program continues and finances other 45 Town Water Supply Offices reaching a total of 1.200.000 beneficiaries in Ethiopia.

Italy’s support to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tubercolosis and Malaria

Posted on 26/06/201919/09/2019 by AICS Addis Abeba

A meeting to present a policy paper concerning Italy’s support to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tubercolosis and Malaria was held on 25 June at the Senate of the Italian Republic in the presence of Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund, in view of the next replenishment of the Fund expected on October 2019.

At the meeting the Senator Alessandro Alfieri talked about the recent mission in Ethiopia organized last May by Network Italiano Salute Globale and AIDOS, together with the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and the Global Fund.

The staff of the Addis Ababa Office of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation had the chance to present the projects funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in the country and the activities supported by the Global Fund to the Senator and the Deputies visiting Ethiopia with him, Yana Ehm and Simona Suriano.

Italy is the ninth major public donor to the Global Fund.

Italy grants €1 million to UNHCR in support of Eritrean Refugees in Ethiopia

Posted on 25/01/201919/09/2019 by AICS Addis Abeba

Visit of the Italian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Emanuela Del Re, and the Director of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, Luca Maestripieri, to Ethiopia

Posted on 25/06/201919/09/2019 by AICS Addis Abeba

On 19-21 June 2019, the Italian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, H.E. Emanuela Del Re, and the Director of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, Luca Maestripieri, visited Ethiopia. Ethiopia is one of the priority country for the Italian Cooperation which has been present in the country for over 40 years.

The visit was an opportunity for the Director to meet the staff of AICS Addis Ababa and learn more about its activities, especially in view of the new Country Framework 2020-22.

During the mission, the Director participated together with the Vice Minister Del Re in two key events for the promotion of the development of Ethiopia: the seventh Annual Conference of RES4Africa (Renewable Energy Solutions for Africa) which took place in Addis Ababa, and the “Ethio-Italian Business Forum” organized by the Embassy of Italy in Ethiopia and the local office of ICE. At the RES4Africa conference, the Director highlighted the commitment of the Agency in the field of energy.

The Director had also the chance to meet the Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation in Ethiopia, Erik Habers, and the representatives of the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) operating in the Country. Moreover, he took part in the inauguration of the exhibition “A Passage to Eritrea and Ethiopia” curated by the photographer Antonio Politano, which took place at the Italian Cultural Institute in Addis Ababa in the presence of the Vice Minister Del Re and the Ambassador of Italy to Ethiopia, Arturo Luzzi.

During the mission, the Director of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, Luca Maestripieri, visited the Ethio-International Footwear Cluster Cooperative Society (EIFCCOS), one of the six successful cluster models in Ethiopia benefiting from the project ‘Phase 2 of the Technical Assistance for the Up-Grading of the Ethiopian Leather and Leather Products Industry’ financed by Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo and implemented by UNIDO - United Nations Industrial Development Organization.

In addition, he visited the Hitsas refugee camp in Tigray, Ethiopia, where this AICS Addis Ababa finances the project "Resilience and Integration in favour of Eritrean refugees and host communities in Shire area, Ethiopia" AID 11223 implemented by VIS Volontariato in collaboration with VIS Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo CCM Comitato Collaborazione Medica CISP Sviluppo dei Popoli and HELVETAS.

Press visit of two Italian journalists in Ethiopia

Posted on 20/05/201919/09/2019 by AICS Addis Abeba

On 6-11 May 2019, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) – Addis Ababa Office welcome two journalists, Laura Aprati, author of the program “Uno Mattina” broadcasted every morning on the Italian State Television Rai Uno, and Marco Bova, who collaborates with the Agenzia Giornalistica Italia (AGI).

The objective of the visit was to learn more about the commitment of this Agency to the development of the country by visiting the places where the AICS-funded projects are implemented, and by meeting the beneficiaries of the activities carried out thanks to the financial support of this Agency.

Following the press visit, a video about some of the project funded by AICS, and seen by the journalists, was broadcasted on the Italian State Television Rai Uno during the program “Uno Mattina” at the presence of Sergio Pagano, Vice Director-General for the Development Coopetation at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Pietro Piccinetti, CEO and Managing Direct at Fiera di Roma, where the first expo of international cooperation took place on 15-17 May 2019, and in which this office participated.

Inauguration of the common production line for footwear of EIFCCOS (Ethio-International Footwear Cluster Cooperative Society)

Posted on 13/05/201920/09/2019 by AICS Addis Abeba

On 13 May 2019 the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation – Addis Ababa Office inaugurated the common production line for footwear of EIFCCOS – one of the six successful cluster model in Ethiopia which has benefitted of the support of the project ‘Phase 2 of the Technical Assistance for the Up-Grading of the Ethiopian Leather and Leather Products Industry’ operating in Addis Ababa. The project, financed by AICS, and implemented by (UNIDO) in partnership with the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Leather Industry Development Institute (LIDI), the Federal Small and Medium Manufacturing Industry Development Agency (FeSMMIDA), so far has:

helped 400 smes;
employed about 3800 people

and will now let 170 SMEs use 30 high-quality machines thus improving and increasing the production of leather shoes.

Read UNIDO's newsletter to learn more.

Ceremony for the delivery of two laboratory equipment worth 70,000 Euro to the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI)

Posted on 02/04/201919/09/2019 by AICS Addis Abeba

The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation – Addis Ababa Office handed over laboratory equipment worth 70,000 Euro to the Ethiopian Public Health Institute on 2 April. The laboratory equipment, one amino acid analyzer and one fat analyzer, was purchased by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) through the financial support of the Italian Government, under the first phase of the Moringa Value Chain Development initiative implemented in the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples’ Region (SNNP) of Ethiopia, and aims at strengthening the capacity of the Institute’s laboratory to contribute to the attainment of the long term nutritional objectives of the Country.

Click here to read the article appeared on the Ethiopian News Agency.

Inauguration ceremony of the medical supplies and drugs donated by Italy for Shashamene General Hospital in Shashamane

Posted on 14/03/201919/09/2019 by AICS Addis Abeba

Head of AICS Addis Ababa renews Italy’s commitment to fight HIV and STIs

Posted on 11/02/201919/09/2019 by AICS Addis Abeba

On 6-7 February 2019, the Head of the Addis Ababa Office of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, Mr. Tiberio Chiari, travelled to the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples’ Region (SNNP) of Ethiopia to engage with the implementing partners and meet the beneficiaries of the project “Community Health Education, Capacity & Knowledge building” (CHECK).

The project, funded by the Government of Italy through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and implemented by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), has a budget of 500,000 Euros and aims to support the prevention of HIV/AIDS and communicable diseases and the promotion of sexual and reproductive healthcare in the SNNP Region.

The visit provided an opportunity to renew Italy’s commitment to fight HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and to strengthen the partnership with UNAIDS. In Hawassa, the Head of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, Mr. Tiberio Chiari, met former UNAIDS Executive Director and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Michel Sidibé.

Red the full press release.

Ethiopian children are entitled to celebrate their birthday. AICS – UNICEF Project on the right of minors to identity

Posted on 19/09/201919/09/2019 by AICS Addis Abeba

With a national registration rate of 3% children registered, Ethiopia is one of the countries with the lowest levels of birth registration. With no proof of age or identity, children do not have the minimal protection needed against violence, abuse and exploitation.

From 10 to 13 June 2018, the monitoring mission of the "Project to Strengthen the Civil Registration System for the Children’s Right to Identity: Identification for Development (ID)” for the Oromia Region, has been organized by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), as implementing partner of the initiative.

Through implementing an evidence-based set of interventions aligned with national laws and international standards, the project intends to contribute to improved delivery and access to civil registration and certification services for the target population, and increased efficiencies and effectiveness. Specifically, the project aims to improve the system of civil registrations in the regions of Oromia and SNNP, by also ensuring the right to identity of children born in remote rural areas.

Trainings of civil registras and Health Extension Workers (HEW) as well as awareness raising activities (Community Conversations), have contributed to birth registrations becoming a more common practice in the region.

The mission has allowed to observe the whole birth registration procedure starting from the birth of the child. Thanks to a consolidated collaboration between local health workers and registras, mothers can now receive a document certifying the birth of their children directly at the health facilities. The notification paper is then presented to the nearest registration office to obtain the official birth certificate.

In order to raise awareness on the importance of birth registration, meetings have been organized both with registras and the community. The commitment and interest of the registras to provide a quality service has been observed together with the skills they acquired through trainings. The families gathered were consulted about the value they attribute to identity.

Most of the women seemed proud to show the birth certificate of their children, which allows the child to know his/her age, unlike the majority of the mothers who often do not have this basic information.