Today, in the presence of the Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaci, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Edmondo Cirielli, a ceremony was held for the signing of the Framework Convention for International Health Cooperation. The agreement involves the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo (AICS), and National Institute for the Promotion of Migrants’ Health and for the Fight against Poverty-Related Diseases (NIMP).
The Convention marks the launch of a structured and long-term collaboration among Italian administrations engaged in international health cooperation, with a primary focus on Africa under the Mattei Plan. The initiative aims to strengthen health systems in partner countries, in line with the 2030 Agenda and the priorities of Italian Development Cooperation.
“With this framework agreement,” stated Minister Schillaci, “we are strengthening Italy’s contribution to global health and the fight against inequalities. Through structured collaboration, we can implement a shared vision based on equity, inclusion, and universal access to services. In particular, the INMP, as a body supervised by the Ministry of Health, represents a key operational arm that enables us to extend and further enhance our international outreach by bringing highly specialized expertise abroad to protect the most vulnerable populations. Strengthening health systems means protecting and promoting health as a universal right.”
“This Convention,” stated Deputy Minister Cirielli, “not only formalizes growing cooperation among the parties involved, but also represents a concrete intervention aimed at strengthening health systems, prevention, and access to care in the most vulnerable partner countries. Health is a priority sector for Italian Development Cooperation and a cornerstone of the Mattei Plan. Investing in it means promoting sustainable development, social stability, and inclusion, in line with our country’s strategic approach and objectives. Looking ahead, we hope to further consolidate and expand this collaboration, enhancing the expertise, resources, and experience that Italy can offer.”
This is a strategic partnership for health, equity, and development. The Framework Convention recognizes the complementary roles of the actors involved and highlights the technical expertise developed by INMP— a public body within the National Health Service supervised by the Ministry of Health—particularly in the areas of migrant health, vulnerable populations, and the fight against inequalities.
The agreement will enable INMP to carry out activities in the following priority areas:
- Improving access to social and health services;
- Training healthcare personnel;
- Supporting the organization of social and health services from an equity perspective;
- Promoting best practices in inclusion and transcultural medicine;
- Applied research and epidemiological data collection;
- Interventions to combat poverty-related diseases.
One of the pillars of the agreement is the strengthening of operational coordination among the parties. This renewable five-year collaboration model will maximize impact by fostering synergies among institutions and reducing overlaps, in full alignment with the strategic guidelines of Italian Development Cooperation.
