THE EUROPEAN Union (EU) Ambassador will visit Central and Northern Mindanao from Nov. 15 to 19 to collaborate with the locals on development and humanitarian projects.
On Nov. 15, together with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the EU delegation will launch the five-year P1.5-billion Support to Bangsamoro Transition (SUBATRA) Program.
The SUBATRA program seeks to help BARMM lay the foundation for lasting peace and development in the region by strengthening democratic governance during the transformation of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front camps into peaceful and productive communities.
The visit will reaffirm the commitment of the EU in the peace process and development in Mindanao through an inclusive and comprehensive approach, said Ambassador Luc Veron in a statement released on Friday.
The EU will also provide P1.4 billion to improve the social cohesion and resiliency of BARMM’s communities through the Peace and Development in the BARMM program. The ambassador is expected to meet with the region’s officials and stakeholders to implement this.
The program aims to address the health, social and economic impact of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) in the region, as well as consolidate the peace in the region by supporting the new administration, the parliament, the judicial system, and civil society.
The EU will provide support to the political settlement by sending a humanitarian and human rights law expert to the International Monitoring Team which oversees the enforcement of all agreements signed by parties.
Mr. Veron will engage with partners and stakeholders of humanitarian and COVID-19 response in Cotabato City and Lanao provinces. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan
