Brussels, 20/07/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Union has adopted five programmes worth a total of €125 million for Côte d'Ivoire. Adoption of these programmes on Wednesday 20 July makes real the promise of support for the efforts to bring economic recovery and national reconciliation undertaken by the Ivoirian authorities made by Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs to President Alassane Ouattara when he visited Abidjan on 6 May.
The five projects, which will be funded by the 10th European Development Fund, are: - support to the transport sector (€70 million) that will improve road maintenance and upgrading of the poor surface of the main road in the country linking the Côte d'Ivoire to Ghana; - support for generating vocational training and youth integration (€25 million); - 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 initiatives to improve the statistical system and to reform the Ivoirian budget system (€11 million); - a programme to support civil society organisations, especially representing women and young people (€4 million). This programme will help to improve citizens' involvement in establishing democracy, including at the local level, and in the process of national reconciliation.
On 12 April, Commissioner Piebalgs announced an aid package of €180 million to support the recovery of the country. During his visit to Abidjan in May, Piebalgs signed the first agreements of this package for three projects in the sectors of agriculture and justice reform (€44 million). The programmes adopted on Wednesday form the second part of the package. They are the result of an identification process and dialogue with President Ouattara and his government. (O.L./transl.rt)