The FINANCIAL — On June 4, European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica, co-signed new regional funding for cooperation with Southern, Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean, between now and 2020.
The so-called Regional Indicative Programme (RIP) under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) amounts to a total of more than €1.3 billion. Co-signatories were the Secretaries General and Executive Secretaries of five regional organisations, representing 29 African countries, according to European Commission.
Commissioner Mimica commented: “The regional organisations are very important partners for the EU in our cooperation with Africa – the fact that our funding to South and East Africa and the Indian Ocean has more than doubled since the last financing period is clear proof of that. We will now be able to launch programmes in key sectors of regional cooperation such as peace and security, economic integration and the management of natural resources.”
The Regional Indicative Programme was co-signed by:
Mr Sindiso Ngwenya, Secretary General of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
Dr Richard Sezibera, Secretary General of the East African Community (EAC)
Eng. Mahboub Maalim, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
Mr Jean Claude de l’Estrac, Secretary General of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC)
Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax, Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
The regional funding to Southern, Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean will target three priority areas in the region.
First, it will foster peace, security and regional stability, helping to prevent and manage conflict, and address security threats in a region of key strategic importance for Europe. This complements EU efforts to enhance resilience and tackle the root causes of migration.
Secondly, it will promote regional economic integration and trade facilitation, by integrating markets, promoting investment and improving production capacities, including the development of infrastructures.
Finally, the funding will support sustainable natural resource management at regional level, improving resilience and biodiversity conservation.
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