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Development cooperation

Following the devastating earthquake on 28 March 2025, the Italian Cooperation activated a € 2 million funding package in favour of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the immediate response to the earthquake emergency. A humanitarian flight was also oarganised to transport essential goods to affected populations, in collabaoration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for the distribution.

This commitment, aimed at supporting the population of Myanmar, has helped address one of the world’s most underfunded humanitarian crises—stemming from a civil conflict that continues to spread unevenly across the country, hindering the work of humanitarian operators. The crisis affects 21.9 million people in need of humanitarian assistance out of a total population of nearly 57 million and has been further exacerbated by the devastating earthquake of March 2025.

The Italian Cooperation currently manages three initiatives in the country, for a total funding amount of approximately €9.3 million:

  • the Italian contribution to the Joint Peace Fund, a multi-donor fund established in 2015 and managed by UNOPS, designed to support the peace process and accompany Myanmar’s transition toward a democratic regime after years of military rule. Supported by Italy since 2016 through three funding rounds, the Fund has continued to operate following the 2021 institutional upheaval, adapting its strategy to the new context while maintaining its goal of promoting lasting and sustainable peace for the population of Myanmar. The Embassy of Italy in Yangon is currently holding the rotating chairship of the Fund until January 2026.
  • the humanitarian aid program, managed directly and implemented in collaboration with the Italian Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) active in Myanmar, particularly in areas affected by the March 2025 earthquake.
  • the Italian contribution to the Myanmar Humanitarian Fund, managed by UNOCHA, supporting humanitarian interventions throughout the country, including in remote, insecure, and hard-to-reach areas.

 

Insights

  • Italian Law 125/2014, which reformed international cooperation, defines Development Cooperation as “an integral and qualifying aspect of Italy’s foreign policy”. The same law established the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), tasked with carrying out the technical and operational activities related to the assessment, design, financing, management, and monitoring of development cooperation initiatives. The Agency currently operates twenty offices worldwide, each with a defined geographical scope.

    The Italian Cooperation has been active in Myanmar since 2011, initially as the Local Technical Unit of the General Directorate for Development Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and later through the AICS office in Yangon until 2022.

    Following the events of 2021 in Myanmar, Italian Cooperation concluded or suspended all initiatives supporting central and local authorities, prioritizing instead actions that directly benefit the population, humanitarian assistance, and peacebuilding efforts.

    Since April 2022, AICS Hanoi has assumed geographic responsibility for initiatives in Myanmar, as established by Joint Committee Resolution No. 114/2021.