Edited by Vincenzo Pira and Marco Pasquini

In this Notebook we present and comment on the three-year planning document of Italian cooperation for sustainable development.

This document was approved to in July 2020, covering the period 2019 – 2021. The delay was made by so many critical interventions, due to bureaucracy which had to find different tools and procedures to be efficient.

The preparation of the Three-Year Plan, with annual review, for the effectiveness of the interventions was coordinated by the Directorate General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Development Cooperation (DGCS) with the technical-operational support of the Agency (AICS). Itprovides a tool to facilitate the implementation of the 4 principles of effectiveness (ownership of development priorities by partner countries; outcome-based management; Inclusive partnerships; transparency and mutual accountability) and the recommendations made by the OECD-DAC in the Field of Peer Review on results and effectiveness, which has been added a focus related to humanitarian crises and fragile situations and the principle of Leave no one behind.

The renewed strategic vision of Italian Cooperation rests on the 5 Pillars of the 2030 Agenda. At the heart of the action is the full development of the person, of human capital: the protection, the empowerment of young people and women, starting with those in situations of greatest distress and vulnerability; human capital also as a “development multiplier” to affect the ability to generate prosperity at the local level in balance with the planet by stimulating effective partnerships also in order to contribute to peace.

Italy’s commitment to support peace and stabilisation processes will be strengthened in key crisis areas, from the Middle East to Africa and Asia, aimed at reducing fragile situations, strengthening the resilience of populations, and enhancing local crisis management and response capabilities. The response to humanitarian crises cannot come from the humanitarian system alone and cannot be separated from a joint analysis of needs and the definition of shared policy objectives between humanitarian aid, sustainable development, and peace.