The Italian Development Co-operation, which during the past decade had supported some random NGO initiatives, as well as a few UN Agencies interventions (in particular in the framework of the emergency caused by the Nargis cyclone), is now experiencing a new phase, thanks to the democratic transition started in Myanmar with the new civil Government in March 2011 and strengthened by the positive process of the supplementary elections in April 2012.  The main objectives of the Italian Development Co-operation are the following: supporting and contributing to the elaboration and implementation of a National Development Plan, aimed at fighting the poverty, revitalizing the economy and therefore improving in the short-mid term the living conditions of the Myanmar people. In this regard, the Italian Embassy in Yangon is taking part actively in the coordination exercise between the Myanmar Government and Donors, both bilateral and multilateral, in order to facilitate the joint identification of the country needs, as well as the main intervention areas, and to optimize the human and economic resources, which the international community is making available to the local Authorities. As regards the above mentioned objectives, during the biennium 2011-2012 our country supported initiatives not only in basic sectors, such as health, food security, environment, but also in other sectors, such as cultural heritage, whose protection and enhancement will considerably promote the tourism and, as a consequence, the increase of the country economy. The implementig entities of the initiatives funded by Italy have been Italian NGOs, active in Myanmar (CESVI, AVSI, Terre des Hommes (Italian section) –TDH, OIKOS and Progetto Continenti), some UN Agencies (FAO, UNESCO, ILO, UNIDO) and the Tuscia University of Viterbo. In the biennium 2011-2012 NGOs received globally Euro 1.412.365, while International Organizations totaled Euro 780.000, of whom 400.000 to UNESCO for a project of cultural heritage, 200.000 to ILO and the remaining 180.000 were given to FAO to strengthen  the food security program, funded by Italy during the post Nargis phase for more than 4 millon Euro. Thanks to the democratic transition, for the first time some bilateral initiatives were put in place, concerning capacity building activities in favor of Myanmar Ministries, in particular the Ministry of Planning, through missions of Italian experts specialized in the investment sector. The co-operation with the Ministry of Finance and Revenues, starting in March 2012, on the debt issue has to be stressed, as it brought to a very positive result on March 6th of this year with the signature of two Agreements, during the historical visit of President Thein Sein in Rome, the first visit of a Burma Head of State to Italy. The first of the two agreements signed concerns the cancellation of 50% of the Myanmar debt to
Italy, according to the multilateral restructuring decided with the Paris Club. The second is the swap of the remaining part of the debt (about US Dollar 3.000.000), which will be utilized to fund development project jointly selected by Myanmar and Italy. Moreover, our Country committed itself to disburse an additional contribution to cover the cost of the necessary technical assistance, which will be delivered by an UN Agency. Finally, it is worth to mention that on emergency channel a contribution was approved to fund demining activities, that will be entrusted to Italian and foreign NGOs, specialized in the sector, in cooperation with the competent local authorities and the Mine Action Centre, to be opened in the near future in the frame of Myanmar Peace Initiative Centre. As regards the 2013, capacity building activities in favor of Myanmar Ministries and Institutions will be further implemented, through direct bilateral assistance, or Italian NGOs, Universities and Public Local Governments initiatives, in sectors where we are already active, and on the basis of the priorities established by the Myanmar Government and Parliament. The Italian Development Cooperation shall continue to support the protection of cultural heritage together with UNESCO. Lastly, it is under evaluation the possibility to contribute to Governance and Local Decentralization, funding some activities proposed by the competent International Organizations.