2009 Financial Bill finally approved: ODA cuts are confirmed

Last Friday, the Lower House of Parliament approved the 2009 Financial Bill, actually confirming the heavy and initial cuts to development cooperation. Despite proposal by minority groups and pressure from Civil society, no change was introduced within the Bill as for development cooperation section. According to unconfirmed sources, in the view of the Italian G8 Presidency, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has asked 500 million dollar to be allocated to development cooperation over 2009. Extra-budget cycle financial allocations to development cooperation via a special decree is not new in recent years, both with centre-right ( the 2005 Tsunami Decree) and centre-left governments (the 2006 revenue-windfall decrees).