Decree to extend Italian international peace operation does not provide extra-money for ODA: unlike last year

At the very end of 2008, the Government issued a Decree extending the Italian participation to international peace missions for 6 months, and allocated 763 million euro to meet foreseen expenditure. Required financial resources had already been appropriated by the 2007 financial bill. Last law approving the Italian participation to international military missions over the whole 2008 provided for 1 billion euros.

As for development cooperation, last year 94 million had been specifically earmarked for development cooperation activities in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon and Somalia. 94 million added up to the development cooperation resources already appropriated by the 2008 Financial bill -732 million euros. Unfortunately, the last decree does not earmark any additional resources for development cooperation to lift up its minimal level -321 million- approved by the 2009 financial bill. If additional money is not appropriated during the Parliamentary debated, available financial resources are too scarce to allow Italy delivering on its commitment in fragile countries. For instance, in Afghanistan, the recently approved development cooperation 3-year plan had clearly stated the need to appropriate additional resources to be drawn from the international peace operation bill to meet its annual financial commitments for the country – around 50 million.