EU envoys pledge continued support for ARMM projects

COTABATO CITY — Ambassadors of the European Union (EU) member-states assured the administration of Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) of continuing socio-economic support through various humanitarian projects.

The diplomats, led by Jan de Kok, head of delegation of the European Commission, held a brief dialogue with ARMM officials here last Wednesday as part of their tour of EC-funded projects in the South.

De Kok told the regional officials that the EU is keen on helping the Ampatuan administration strengthen governance in the autonomous region.

De Kok said the participation of the ambassadors of Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom, Sweden and Romania in the visit here was meant to show that the EU member-states are united in helping promote economic growth and peace in the ARMM and adjoining regions.

"This is to show our collective support for Mindanao, being an important part of the Philippines," he said.

De Kok said the EU is aware of the efforts of Ampatuan, the fifth elected governor of the ARMM, in furthering the Southern Mindanao peace process and in introducing reforms in the regional bureaucracy.

The EU has extended a total of P1.1 billion for community projects in the ARMM through the Support to Agrarian Reform Communities in Central Mindanao.

Ampatuan, in a message read by his representative, regional executive secretary Oscar Sam—pulna, said the ARMM government is grateful for the assistance that EU countries have been extending to impoverished communities in the region.

In his brief remarks, Swedish Ambassador Herbert Jager said he was amazed by the recent favorable political developments in the ARMM, including the region’s first peaceful elections last Aug. 8.