The Italian development cooperation lays its basis on two main priorities:

• Necessity, in terms of solidarity, to guarantee to all population life protection and human dignity;

• Means to establish, improve and consolidate the global economic interdependence in order to assure the economic growth of all people.

The Italian policy of development cooperation aims to pursue these objectives together with the economic and cultural diplomacy, following a wise security strategy.

With this aim the representation and the role of Italy should be consolidated. Step by step the cooperation has become an important part of the Italian foreign policy: it makes it possible to work in partnership with the major international Institutions and Organizations. At the same time, Italy has been and it keep being, a fundamental actor for relieving human’s sufferings, poverty and giving effective instruments to strengthen local institution capacities, sharing knowledge of good governance. The whole actions are carried out respecting human rights, in the guarantee of a democratic participation of all people without any kind of discriminations, especially the gender discrimination.

The General Directorate for the Development Cooperation (DGCS) of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is the main body in charge of the cooperation policy realization, following the rules of and putting into effect the Law no.  49/87.                                                               

The General Directorate works out and implements the international policy lines which embraces field such as environment, development, women, company activities at local level, agriculture, etc...

It manages the financial cooperation, it support the balance of payments as well as the private business of the developing countries.

It sets out initiatives, programmes and projects in developing countries, taking care of the partnerships with International Organism, Non-governmental organization (NGO) and the European Union.