President Leonel Fern?ndez is due to return from his European trip this afternoon after garnering several cooperation agreements with Italy. The Technical Secretary of the Presidency, Tem?stocles Mont?s, listed to reporters at a press conference the agreements concluded with Italy: a development cooperation agreement that includes the Italian Government, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which will finance various social development and child protection programs in the DR; a US$140 million credit line for projects involving: hydroelectric and water use, including improvements in the aqueduct and urban water delivery systems; urban transport; environmental protection; restoration and preservation of cultural heritage. a US$17 million loan to renovate and modernize the communications systems of the Dominican Armed Forces to put them on a par with NATO standards (Mont?s said that this agreement is intended to allow the Armed Forces and security forces to maintain communication lines during national disasters (like Hurricane Georges) or emergencies). In addition, the DR has signed a US$12 million loan from the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to aid small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises in the DR’s South.President Fern?ndez further told the reporters that his trip has secured commitments for 12 Italian private investment projects in the DR. He claimed that his visit to France during the prior week had likewise landed 21 private investment projects worth some US$100 million.In yesterday’s round of official events, the President had a long meeting with Italian Prime Minister Massimo D’Alema, during which they discussed the European Union’s Lome IV Convention and Italy’s bid to win a seat in a reformed UN Security Council. President Fern?ndez later met with leaders of the Italian Parliament and a dinner in his honor hosted by the Vice President of the Council of Ministers, Sergio Mattarella.This morning before leaving Italy he met privately with Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro and with the Mayor of Rome, Francisco Rutarlli. With Rutarlli he discussed a possible direct cooperation accord with the City of Rome to advise Santo Domingo on "how to extend the transformation process" to SD’s less fortunate barrios, and how to improve urban quality of life through, among other things, improving trash collection and instituting a recycling program for the capital city.The President is returning today in order to be able to participate tomorrow in a special mass at the Bas?lica de Altagracia in Hig?ey. The 21st is a national holiday honoring the Virgin of Altagracia.
