Ivory Coast: EU launches five programmes for economic recovery and national reconciliation for € 125 million
Brussels, 20 July 2011 - European Union adopted today five programmes for 125 million euros to Ivory Coast. These programmes are intended to support the areas of vocational training, health, transportation, public finance management and the strengthening of civil society organisations.
"In line with commitments I made to President Ouattara during my visit to Abidjan on 6 May, the EU is and will remain a key partner to support the Ivorian authorities in the country's economic recovery and national reconciliation . Our support reflects the priorities defined by the Ivorian authorities and are areas where the EU can have a quick added value", said Mr Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for Development.
The five projects approved today will be funded by the 10th European Development Fund. They include:
- Support to the transport sector (€ 70 million) that will strengthen road maintenance and the rehabilitation of the poor surface of the main road in the country linking the Ivory Coast to Ghana, contributing to the flow of trade at national and regional levels.
- Support for generating vocational training and youth integration through the development of employment-oriented training schemes (€ 25 million). Several vocational training centres will be rehabilitated and equipped.
- A programme to revitalise the health sector, to improve basic health care and improve access of poor populations to essential drugs (€ 15 million).
- A programme to support financial and institutional governance, including actions to improve the statistical system and to reform the Ivorian budget system to be results-orientated(€ 11 million).
- A programme to support civil society organisations, especially representing women and young people (€ 4 million). This programme will help to improve citizen involvement in establishing democracy, including at the local level, and in the process of national reconciliation.
Background
The European Commissioner Andris Piebalgs announced an aid package of € 180 million on April 12 to support the recovery of the country. During his visit to Abidjan last May, Commissioner Piebalgs signed the first agreements of this package for three projects in the sectors of agriculture and justice reform (€ 44 million). Programmes adopted today are the second part of the package. They are the result of an identification process and dialogue with President Ouattara and his government. This joint and intense work led to the adoption, in tight deadlines, of these programmes constituting more than two thirds of the budget announced in April, and providing as soon as possible assistance to the Ivorian population.
In addition, the EU has re-launched projects that had been interrupted during the crisis. Some projects, particularly those that support non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working directly for the population, continued even during the crisis.
