Brussels, 20/06/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has defined the framework for its cooperation with Sierra Leone in relation to the priorities established jointly with the authorities of that country, which is a member of the ACP Group (Africa/Caribbean/Pacific). The strategy paper that it has recently approved provides for EUR 220 million to be allocated to Sierra Leone for the period 2002-2007.
This funding, which comes from the 9th European Development Fund, will be broken down as follows: EUR 70 million for the rehabilitation of widely depleted roads and social infrastructure; - EUR 19 million to institutional support and improvement of governance; - EUR 50 million for direct budget support, contributing to stabilise the country's macroeconomic situation and to support the implementation of the country's Poverty Reduction Strategy; - and EUR 5 million for non-focal sectors including support to civil society and non-state actors. To this must be added EUR 76 million placed in reserve to face unforeseen needs, for example to mitigate adverse effects of instability in export earnings, or for contributions to internationally agreed debt relief initiatives.