BUTUAN CITY – New Zealand Ambassador Andrew Matheson together with Renaud Meyer, country director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) starts their three-day swing in Region 13 to reaffirm their commitment to peace and development in the Caraga Region.

The New Zealand and UNDP officials are slated to meet with key leaders in the region and visit communities in Agusan del Sur and this city as they also reaffirm New Zealand’s commitment to work with local stakeholders in advancing peace and development.

The New Zealand government, through the New Zealand Agency for International Development (ZAID), is a key donor partner of the Government of the Philippines–United Nations’ Action for Conflict Transformation (GoP-UN ACT) for Peace Programme in assisting the 37 Peace and Development Communities (PDCs) in the Caraga Region in their transformation process.

Along with Mindanao Super Region Secretary Jesus G. Dureza, Ambassador Matheson, and Mr. Meyer will turnover various projects on community economic enterprise and improving access to health services in Barangay Marfil in Rosario town, Agusan del Sur.

They will also visit the Manila de Bugabus Elementary School of Peace in Manila de Bugabus, this city.

Local officials said these efforts were implemented in partnership with the local government units (LGUs).

Barangay Marfil and Manila de Bugabus are among the 278 Peace and Development Communities (PDCs) that are being supported by the ACT for Peace Programme in Southern Philippines, 37 of which are in the Caraga Region.

A PDC is a conflict-affected or conflict-vulnerable community that is undergoing change processes towards sustainable peace and development through the help of various development partners.

“This visit affords us excellent opportunity to assess the extent of our initiatives and efforts made by our communities in pushing for peace and development in Caraga,” said Dureza, who also serves as the ACT for Peace national programme director.

Managed by the UNDP, the ACT for Peace Programme is implemented by the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo) in partnership with the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).