Brussels, 18/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - With a view to the meeting scheduled for 24 October in Bogota, the European Commission approved, on Wednesday, the proposal made by Commissioners Patten and Nielson to grant substantial support to the peace effort being undertaken by President Pastrana in Colombia. The European Commission had, during a donors' conference on 7 July in Madrid, taken the initiative to coordinate a European aid package to Colombia covering EU and Member State contributions, a package that includes to key elements:
- EUR 105 million for the period 2000-2006, covering economic and social development and the fight against poverty (40 million), alternative development (30 million), support to reform in the judiciary sector (25 million) and the promotion of human rights (10 million).
- Support for a series of demand-driven projects in the fields of emergency aid to be carried out via ECHO (especially to assist the internally displaced persons), NGO co-financing, protection of the environment and tropical forests. A Commission press release specifies that Colombia has usually received EU aid amounting to EUR 10.5 million annually in these sectors, and that this aid will be strengthened in coming years.
The press release adds that the identification of projects will begin in 2001, and that the programme will be implemented in close coordination with Member States in order to ensure coherency and a better geographical coverage.