ARMM gets assurance of continued EU support

COTABATO CITY — Seven ambassadors of the European Union gave assurances here yesterday of the EU’s continuing support to develop war-devastated communities in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Italian Ambassador Umberto Colesanti, head of the diplomatic delegation, said he and his fellow ambassadors did not hesitate to come here and hold a dialogue with ARMM officials, saying they were convinced that it was safe for them to barnstorm parts of Southern Mindanao to personally inspect EU-funded humanitarian projects.

Colesanti, along with Ambassadors Christian Tanghe of Belgium, Raimo Anttola of Finland, Rene Veyret of France, Herbert Jess of Germany, Joao Jose Caetano of Portugal, Paul Dimond of the United Kingdom and the EU’s representative to the Philippines, Jan De Kok, discussed for one hour with ARMM Gov. Parouk Hussin and Vice Gov. Mahid Mutilan "mutual concerns" on peace and sustainable development, including socio-economic thrusts for war-devastated areas in the region.

"The interest of the European Union here is for people to have better lives," Colesanti said.

Hussin, who belongs to the Moro National Liberation Front, said the diplomats’ visit boosted their efforts to project to the international community that security problems exist only in isolated areas of the ARMM.

"This will also correct the wrong impressions about Muslim communities brought about by the international war on terrorism," he said.

Hussin said he is confident that the visit of the EU ambassadors would also improve the confidence of investors in looking into viable ventures in the ARMM, which is comprised of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan and Marawi City.

"This visit of the ambassadors came at a time when we are doing practically everything to win the support of foreign donors to help sustain our development initiatives which are apparently beyond our fiscal capability to sustain," Hussin said.