Tag Archives: circular economy

AICS Hanoi: mission of Mr Giuseppe Cerasoli, Administrative Deputy Director

Hanoi, 12/09/2024 – In line with the effort to improve the Governance of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, AICS, Mr Giuseppe Cerasoli, Administrative Deputy Director and Head of Corruption Prevention and Transparency of the Agency, conducted a mission to the AICS Office in Hanoi, Vietnam, from the 1st to the 6th of September.

As a government body implementing development cooperation initiatives, AICS plays a pivotal role in the international donor

Ms Margherita Lulli, AICS Hanoi Head of Office, and Mr Giuseppe Cerasoli, Administrative Deputy Director of AICS

community. In this regard, the Agency is required to adapt its procedural systems to global standards and to fulfil specific obligations to be compliant with the status of “Pillar Assessed Entity” authorized to manage European Union funds.

Among the Agency’s Governance progresses and, therefore, in terms of effectiveness at the international level, it is worth mentioning its very recent positioning in the “Good” category of the Transparency Index 2024 (ATI). ATI is the only independent index measuring the transparency of aid from the world’s leading development aid agencies, created by the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), of which AICS has taken part since 2017. The ATI Indicator analyses data at both organizational and implementation projects levels.

The visit of the Deputy Administrative Director, lasting a week, coincided with the arrival and taking up of service of Ms Margherita Lulli, the new Head of AICS Hanoi Office, from September 1st, for a two-year period assignment.

AICS Hanoi Team together with Ms Margherita Lulli and Giuseppe Cerasoli

“The presence in Vietnam of the AICS Headquarters, represented by Mr Cerasoli upon my arrival, that follows the regency of Ms Annamaria Iotti, Head of the AICS Human Resources Department, confirms the commitment and the current strategy of the Agency to enhance the exchange from the centre to the periphery and vice versa, aimed at increasing the efficiency and achieve the common objectives synergically” commented Ms Lulli.

AICS Hanoi is deeply engaged in different sectors, including managing water resources, water sanitation and hygiene (WaSH), the fight against climate change, health, and sustainable rural development in Vietnam, with a noteworthy focus on the circular economy. Further, AICS Hanoi operates in the Philippines, the Small Island States of the Pacific, and at a regional level with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Finally, AICS Hanoi actively participates in humanitarian and peace-building activities in Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Biomass Energy Promotion: a way for sustainable development in the APEC region

Hanoi, 23/09/2024 – On September 18th, AICS Hanoi attended the Workshop on Biomass Energy Promotion for Inclusive and Sustainable Agricultural Development in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) region.

APEC is the premier Asia-Pacific economic forum supporting sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the region.

The event, organized by the International Cooperation Department of the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and held in Hanoi, was a significant gathering. It brought together line ministries, stakeholders, and key experts from the ASEAN region and the Pacific. The two-day workshop aimed to raise awareness and interest in the multi-dimensional benefits of biomass energy for agricultural-rural development and environmental protection, while also exploring opportunities for biomass energy within climate policy and finance.  It also sought to facilitate the transfer of know-how and practices and foster discussion on a regional strategy for biomass energy development, underlining the importance of the Workshop.

AICS Hanoi’s participation is part of the broader partnership between the Italian Development Cooperation and ASEAN in promoting sustainable practices in agriculture, fisheries, renewable energies and the food value chain.

Marco Gaspari, AICS Hanoi Environmental sector Coordinator, participated in the “Biomass for Growth” panel. Panelists share their views on the opportunities and challenges of involving rural farmers in biomass energy projects and the potential of carbon credit markets to provide additional revenue streams for the sector.

Mr. Gaspari addressed the role of rural cooperatives based on the circular economy model of Italian agro-energy cooperatives and how coffee residues could be used for producing biochar and clean energy. The panelists further delved into how the potential of agricultural residues for carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas, GHG, emission reduction could be leveraged to attract private-sector investment and generate carbon credits.