The EU has made €26 million available to Portuguese-speaking African countries and East Timor, which are members of the group of ACP States (Africa, Caribbean, Pacific), to support a cultural project and a support project in favour of the reform of the public finance management systems, the European Commission announced on Wednesday 18 July.
The financing agreements were signed in Cape Verde on the same day, under the PALOP-TL (Portuguese-speaking African countries – East Timor) programme, which aims to promote cooperation between these ACP countries that are partners of the EU.
The signature took place on the sidelines of the biannual summit of the community of Portuguese-speaking countries.
€80 million will go to a programme aiming to promote employment in the cultural sector by encouraging the access of the cultural products of these countries to the markets (national, regional and international). The money will also help to support the creation and distribution of literary works, mainly for children and young people, throughout the region, the Commission explains.
€8 million will support a programme aiming to improve the accountability, effectiveness and transparency of the public finances in the six countries.
Both projects are financed by the European Development Fund (EDF). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)