Madrid/Brussels, 22/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission adopted its strategy 2002-2006 for co-operation with the Andean Community and each of its members: Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. It foresees the allocation of EUR 420 million for the co-operation programmes with the region during the next four years, by concentrating on the fight against poverty, good governance, the fight against drugs and support for integration. Moreover, EUR 30 million will be dedicate to governance and 50 million to economic co-operation and 100 million will be allocated to the fight against drugs, by adding together the new financing and the programmes already underway in Bolivia and Columbia, stated the Commission in a Communiqué released on the day of the EU/Latin America/Caribbean summit in Madrid.
At the regional level, the Commission intends to continue its technical assistance in the area of trade, on the basis of the priorities that will be identified in a study underway into trade and economic relations between the EU and the Andean Community. It should adopt a plan on statistical harmonisation and another on the prevention of natural disasters. It will also take part in a planned road from Piura to Guyaquil, announced in the framework of the peace agreements signed between Peru and Ecuador.
In Bolivia, one third of the budget will be dedicated to a project to process water waste, and the Commission should participate in the financing of the Santa Cruz-Puerto-Suarez motorway, once the feasibility study completed.
For Columbia, co-operation will concentrate on the peace process. The Commission is considering financing other "peace laboratories", on the model of the programme for the Magdalena-medio, which aims to consolidate the peace through support to economic development in a region where the guerrilla's influence in strong. It should also support the reforms to the administrative and legal system and the fight against anti-personnel mines.
The decision to reimburse 40% of the aid foreseen will be taken depending on progress made in the peace process, states the press release.
In Ecuador, the aim is to dampen the impact of the economic crisis from the social and environmental point of view. Priority will therefore be given to rural development and to access to social services.
In Peru, the projects will mainly cover vocational training and institutional reform of the State.
In Venezuela, the Commission is to continue providing aid to prevent disasters of the kind that happened in December 1999. In 2001, the financing of projects representing EUR 35 million had already been approved.