The European Union (EU) has unveiled a special aid package to strengthen democracy and human rights, food security and nutrition, and education and skill development in Bangladesh, officials said. However, the EU is yet to inform Dhaka about the amount of funds for the country programming (CP) 2014-2020 for Bangladesh. The bloc has prepared a draft CP, corroborating the objectives of Vision 2021, the sixth five year plan and the corresponding policy documents of Bangladesh. This was disclosed during an inter-ministerial meeting on the EU roadmap for Bangladesh at the Economic Relations Division (ERD) on August 1. The EU has been providing funds for good governance, bettering human rights, economic and trade developments here.
ERD sources said all EU assistance was provided as grant and the average amount of the bloc’s official development assistance (ODA) to Bangladesh was around 70-80 million euros per year.
At the same time, the EU and its member countries have become the biggest market of Bangladesh exports, especially readymade garments.
According to the sources, the trade balance is 900 million euros per annum. From 1973 till June 2012, Bangladesh had received USD 1620.33 million as grant from the EU, they added.
According to the country strategy paper (CSP) for 2007-2013, the EU has provided 403 million euros under two phases – National Indicative Programme (NIP) 2007-10 and Multi-annual Indicative Programme, 2011-13.
The ERD sources informed that the EU has done away with CSP and instead focus on country programming from now on.
The EU will contribute to two of the government objectives of Vision 2021 for building a secular, tolerant, liberal, progressive, and democratic state; and promote good governance and curb corruption. It will also contribute to improve participation and accountability of the civil society of Bangladesh.
The EU’s CSP also covers electoral system, local governance, the implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts accord, and the rights of the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups.
Sources said, the EU would focus on potential areas of intervention and corresponding key indicators for finalising the CP for a better outcome.
ERD received the draft CP on March 10, 2013, and circulated it to 29 ministries for comments. Besides, the ERD will take action based on the concept notes and provide inputs to EU for finalisation of the CP, the sources added.
-With The Independent input
