Int'l donor agencies pledge more assistance for Mindanao

DAVAO CITY – International donor agencies have vowed to continue supporting the Philippine government’s peace and development undertakings in Mindanao.

The Mindanao Economic and Development Council (Medco) said the various donor agencies led by the World Bank (WB) pledged to assist the government, particularly in relief and rehabilitation efforts, amid the conflict affecting certain parts of Mindanao.

The international donor community, according to Medco, has formed the WB-led Mindanao Working Group (MWG), which will pool together resources that could be tapped for the development of the South.

The MWG cited the need for better coordination among the donor agencies to jointly assess, program, monitor and evaluate projects and programs.

During a recent MWG meeting, Medco said the donor community noted significant improvements in strengthening peace networks and promoting social cohesion, especially in conflict-torn areas in Mindanao, in the past years.

The MWG donors agreed that these gains have to be sustained even as Mindanao continues to face challenges.

The MWG also cited the need to carry out a coherent response and employ “development interventions” in the context of the affected communities, like beefing up existing programs, in support of long-term peace and development goals in Mindanao.

The international donor community also agreed to support community-based economic development programs for job generation, with the participation of the private sector.

The MWG members encouraged broad-based peace dialogues in communities as a critical aspect in the new approach to the government’s peace initiatives.

They agreed to support local government efforts to promote social cohesion through multisectoral and interfaith dialogues, and help restore public safety and order in communities based on the rule of law.

Among the donor agencies in the WB-led WMG are AECI-Spanish International Cooperation Agency, Australian Agency for International Development, Asia Foundation, Canadian International Development Agency, European Commission, Food and Agriculture Organization, German Development Service, United Nations Development Program, International Labor Organization, International Organization for Migration, Japan International Cooperation Agency, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Korea International Cooperation Agency, New Zealand Agency for International Aid, United Nations Children’s Fund, World Health Organization, and the UN World Food Program.