Lima, Feb. 15. The Peruvian Amazon is a priority in terms of government social policy, said Development and Social Inclusion Minister Cayetana Aljovin as she signed a cooperation agreement with the European Union (EU) and Germany in favor of jungle regions.

 "Within the five pillars of President Kuczynski administration's social policy, the Amazon is a priority and has a special place, because there are unforgivable gaps in this region, unfortunately," the Ministry's head pointed out. This is a Memorandum of Understanding on Implementation of Technical Assistance "Decentralized Management and Social Inclusion in the Amazon," inked by Minister Aljovin, Ambassador of the EU to Peru Irene Horejs and German Ambassador Jörg Ranau. The deal is aligned with the Financing Agreement signed between the EU and the Republic of Peru for the Implementation Support Program for National Development and Social Inclusion Strategy in Amazon Regions (Amazonas, Junin, Loreto, San Martin and Ucayali). The Government of Germany, through the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), will provide technical assistance to back efforts towards closing gaps and improving the country's social indicators such as anemia and chronic malnutrition in children. Ambassador Horejs referred to GIZ's technical assistance, and said it seeks to strengthen management of local and regional governments, so as they can implement initiatives aimed at bridging social gaps in favor of the most vulnerable populations, in cooperation with the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion (Midis). On the other hand, Ambassador Jörg Ranau underlined the importance of strengthening institutions at municipal and regional levels, in a bid to achieve efficiency gains. Held at the ministry's headquarters in Lima, the ceremony saw the presence of Vice-Ministers Maria Eugenia Mujica and Michel Macara-Chvili. From: Andina Agency