Si conclude Codeway 2021 Digital Edition

Codeway 2021 Digital Edition, the online preview of the expo organized by Fiera Roma on International Development Cooperation, with special focus on the opportunities for the private sector and the partnership among all key actors scheduled to take place from 18 to 20 May 2022, closed today.

The last day of the event, which recorded a remarkable and qualified participation in all three days, focused on agriculture and food in Africa as main theme of the morning discussions. The speakers – representing all the different worlds of development, institutions, enterprises and the third sector - unanimously underlined the enormous impact of the hoped-for development of the African agri-food sector impacts on the entire planet. Africa’s commercial value will reach 1 trillion dollars by 2030: the continent hosts 60% of the world's uncultivated arable land while its productivity only accounts for about 10% of the world agricultural production, this showing the enormous development potential that could feed not only the ever-growing African populations but the entire planet. Driving the African agricultural development so that it follows virtuous and sustainable paths leading to environment and health protection and preservation is a challenge that should be everyone’s responsibility. As Juan Lucas Restrepo, Director General of Bioversity International Alliance (and of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture), pointed out - the transfer of competence is crucial in this context. The proposal of Hon. Filippo Gallinella, President of the XIII Agriculture Commission of the Chamber of the Italian Parliament, that plans to use farming properties confiscated from the mafia as places where to train migrants and build cooperation projects that aim their return to their own countries, goes right in this direction. The importance of public-private collaboration to obtain effective results was reiterated by the Deputy Central Director of Sub-Saharan Africa at MAECI, Fabrizio Lobasso. A concrete example was also presented, like the APIO innovative SME project, co-financed by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation: a win-win system project, in the specific case applied to the cocoa and coffee production chain, designed to improve the food supply chain through block chain technology, for equity and sustainability, in favor of local producers of raw materials and producers / distributors of finished food products.

The project was illustrated by Alessandro Chelli CEO of APIO, though this was just one of the projects introduced by the Virtual Stand of AICS, the Italian Development agency, where these projects ranged from agri-business to digital innovation, through sustainable energy and much more. Participants and attendees of CODEWAY PREVIEW were also able to visit a remarkable virtual exhibition, completing the conference area. In the Virtual Exhibition area also stands out the interactive booth of CROCE ROSSA ITALIANA, the Italian Red Cross, that of CONFERENZA DELLE REGIONI (the institution that groups the Regions and Provinces of Italy) and UNIDROIT, the international institute tackling the harmonization of private international law, particularly committed to the themes of land law and land ownership, crucial on the African side. Of great interest and relevance, the group participation from Lazio, expression of a common initiative from Lazio Region, Rome Chamber of Commerce with the Regional Union of the Chambers of Commerce of the regional territory. The initiative supported the participation of a selection of SMEs, all presenting innovative solutions that are state-of-art in cooperation development, particularly in medical and security, agri-tech, energy and renewables, hydroponics, and environmental protection, just to name a few.

The afternoon day 3 was dedicated to the Afghan issue, addressed in a meeting organized by NGO’s network of AOI, Cini and Link 2007, registering the live presence of MAECI Vice Ministry for Development Cooperation Marina Sereni, together with representatives of the Network Afghan, UNHCR Italy, Asylum Table, Save The Children Italy, Pangea Onlus. "It is essential - said Sereni, in the core of the debate - not to turn off the attention on Afghanistan, especially today, when the news is no longer in newspapers’ front pages. This because the situation remains dramatic from a humanitarian point of view and considering the risks of re-igniting ferocious terrorism. The Italian government - said Marina Sereni - has chosen a humanitarian and political intervention that looks to the medium term, because the emergency is doomed to last, and we all carry our share of responsibility: so we must continue to do our part in that context. The coordination table on Afghanistan requested by the civil society organizations responds precisely to this ”. The resources that Italy will allocate to the Afghan solution amount to 150 million euros, half destined for Afghanistan and half for neighboring regions, a subdivision to be modulated according to the situation in progress in the area: "Now - explained Sereni - we find ourselves in a planning phase, the Table is working to determine the management of such massive resources by 31 December this year. We have set ourselves some criteria, the three main ones are: to rely on the United Nations system (given that Italy has currently no diplomatic representation in place in the country); make flexible planning because the situation is evolving; give priority to women, a particularly vulnerable category within the vulnerable groups we have to deal with ". In conclusion, the Deputy Minister reiterated that “all actions must also have a political sense. We must think” - she stressed – “of the 35 million Afghans who remained in Afghanistan, helping them to find a dignified way of survival. It is a necessary humanitarian intervention, but also a fundamental lever towards the Taliban authorities and a way to protect ourselves from the consistent return of terrorist organizations, we must ensure that Afghanistan does not become the cradle of instability in Central Asia ".