Italy grants Iraq $2.72 million to rehabilitate civil infrastructure
UNDP logo. Archive Photo
(IraqiNews.com) Baghdad – On Wednesday the United Nations announced, that Italy will provide $2.72 million to support the stability of Iraq and rehabilitate its civil infrastructure, while the Italian Ambassador to Baghdad Marco Carnelos noted that the Iraqi government is exercising serious efforts in dealing with the refugees’ crisis.
The United Nations Mission to Iraq mentioned in a statement obtained by IraqiNews.com, “Italy has offered 2.72 million dollars to the Funding Facility for Immediate Stabilization (FFIS) managed by UNDP to support rehabilitating civil infrastructure, launching of local economy and boosting the government’s capacities as well as promoting community reconciliation in Iraq.”
The statement added, “The grant is a part of an Italian pledge of seven million and 630 thousand dollars to support the activities of stabilization, which have been expended recently in Salahuddin, Diyala, Nineveh and Anbar provinces.”
Country Director for UNDP in Iraq Sultan Hagiyev described the Italian grant as a “generous” one and said, “The Italian grant will help tremendously as UNDP increases its work in the new year, in addition to the liberation of Ramadi and other important areas soon,” adding that “We have to exercise great efforts in 2016 to assist in youth employment in the affected areas, encourage community reconciliation and support the rehabilitation of civil infrastructure including electricity grids, water facilities and public buildings.”
Meanwhile, the Italian Ambassador Marco Carnelos said, “The Iraqi Government is exercising serious efforts to deal with the current refugees crisis,” adding that, “The Italian commitment towards Iraq includes helping the country to restore stabilization, a number of training programs for the Iraqi police to ensure the security of local communities and liberated regions, in addition to providing a safe return of displaced Iraqis to their homes and preventing Iraqi people from becoming potential refugees.”