Bolivian and Canadian governments sign cooperation agreement
President Morales highlights “one of the main aims of my government is to ensure that Bolivian children are fully fed” La Paz, 8th July 2008.- On Tuesday, the Government of Canada granted Bolivia 16.3 million Canadian dollars for the Malnutrition Zero programme. Canadian Ambassador to Bolivia Geneviève des Rivières and the Bolivian Minister of Development Planning, Graciela Toro, and Minister of Health, Walter Selum Rivero, signed the financing agreement in an act held in the Mirror Hall at the Burned Palace; President Evo Morales was also present. At the start of his speech, President Morales told the audience, “My father used to say that we children would be fine with second-hand clothes, but not with empty bellies.” He stated that one of the main objectives of his government was “To ensure that Bolivian children are fully fed; what good is it to be vaccinated if we are not fed well.” He pointed out that the commitment made by Canadian Cooperation was in line with the National Development Plan, as well as that of several municipal governments to prioritising feeding and nutrition, mainly through actions related to school breakfasts. “We must make cooperation transparent; especially that which goes to our neighbourhoods and peasant farmers.” Canadian Ambassador Geneviève des Rivières mentioned that the number one problem in Bolivian public health was that of malnutrition and supported her government’s position to “support Bolivia in the total eradication of malnutrition among children aged 6 to 23 months.” She highlighted the need to work together with parents and teachers in order to raise their awareness of the basic need to feed their children better. She thanked UNICEF and the Micro-nutrients Initiative for their commitment to working directly with the aims of the Malnutrition Zero programme and those of Canadian Cooperation. The funds from the agreement signed today will be invested in Bolivian government institutions, international cooperation and NGOs as follows: 5 million to the Ministry of Health and Sport, 5 million to UNICEF actions, 5.5 million to the Canadian NGO Micronutrients Initiative and 800 thousand to monitoring and evaluation to be carried out by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). In Bolivia, one out of three children under five years of age are not fed enough: they lose nutrients through respiratory or gastrointestinal infections which in turn impedes their psycho-motor development and life potential.
|
.jpg)
