DIBA takes first initiatives to address the impact of COVID-19 in partner countries

The Bureau for Development Cooperation of the Government of the Province of Barcelona (DIBA) is quickly reacting to the new situation imposed by COVID-19 in order to collaborate with local and regional governments in partner countries in managing the crisis generated by this new virus. 

This early strategy is centred on the following measures:

• Discussing with local and regional governments in partner countries in order to identify how to support their respond plans to the COVID-19 crisis in the short term and to support their strategies in the recovery phase in the medium term.
• Coordinating with other Catalan regional and local governments and civil society organisations in order to articulate a joint answer in terms of humanitarian assistance, service and emergency aid.
• Coordinating with cities and local governments in the province of Barcelona active in the field of decentralised cooperation in order to identify good practices that they are developing in the new COVID-19 context and that could be significant for local governments in partner countries.
• Working hand in hand with the development civil society organisations of the province of Barcelona to assess the impact of the COVID-19 in the development cooperation projects that they are implemented in partner countries and how to reinforce them in the recovery phase.
• Exchanging with cities and local governments around the world with regards to the role of decentralised cooperation in mitigating the current outbreak of COVID-19 and supporting the social and economic recovery later.
• Opening access to contents on decentralised cooperation.
• Developing a communication strategy in order to explain the added value of decentralised cooperation in managing the crisis generated by COVID-19, within the territory of the province of Barcelona and in partner countries.

This is an open and evolving strategy in the light of the progress of the COVID-19 in partner countries as well as within the province of Barcelona.