Brussels, 19/07/2011 (Agence Europe) - Niger can count on €25 million in funding from the European Commission in the form of direct financial support to the government under President Mahamadou Issoufou, it was announced by the Commission on Tuesday 19 July. This demonstrates the trust that the EU now has in the new authorities of the country with which full cooperation was recently confirmed (see EUROPE 10401). Financial support - the first since the new, democratically-elected president was inaugurated in April - will allow the government to step up the fight against poverty and invest in social services, especially in education and health.
Disbursement of this aid, funded by the European Development Fund, was decided after an analysis had been made of the conditions of eligibility for budgetary support. The very encouraging progress made by Niger in terms of macro-economic stability, a coherent and sustainable policy for combating poverty, and improving public finance management allowed the EU to meet the request of Nigerian authorities, and the Commission to proceed to aid payment as swiftly as possible.
The granting of funding (€10 million) was decided in the light of the specific conditions to be met in the field of education. The Commission notes the major work accomplished by the government for preparing the action plan for pursuit of the quality initiative in the field of education. President Mahmadou Issoufou above all aims to have compulsory, free education for all up to the age of 16, and has undertaken to devote a quarter of budgetary resources to schooling during the next five years. Things augur well for meeting the Millennium Development Goals. (A.N./transl.jl)