European development fund

Following, where required, favourable opinions from the EDF Committee, the Commission has decided to provide grants and special loans from the 5th, 6th and 7th EDFs to finance the following operations (grants unless otherwise stated). Major projects and programmes are highlighted.

Economic and social infrastructure

Malawi: ECU 1.9 million for the rehabilitation and construction of customs facilities.

Zambia: ECU 11 million for resurfacing and improvements to the runway at Lusaka international Airport.

Fiji ECU 1.8 million for the rebuilding of three bridges.

Trade promotion/ structural adjustment

Member states of SADC (Southern Africa), ECOWAS (West Africa) and ECOCAS (Central Africa): ECU 500 000 for a follow-up pilot project relating to industrial fore in different sectors.

Botswana: ECU 1.9 million for a tourism development programme.

Djibouti: ECU 4.1 million to support the 1996-97 structural adjustment programme.

Netherlands Antilles/Aruba: ECU 5 million for a tourism promotion programme.

Agriculture/ rural development

Madagascar: ECU 1.9 million to support professional organisations in the field of rural credit.

Swaziland: ECU 1.4 million to build a bridge at Maphobeni, to facilitate rural development in this area.

Swaziland: ECU 1.5 million to improve the storage and commercialisation of maize.

Health

Benin: ECU 700 000 to enhance the security of blood supplies in the Oueme, Mono and Atlantique departments.

Education/training

Botswana: ECU 15 million for a training programme directed at SMEs, independent operators and the unemployed.

Ethiopia: ECU 1.05 million for a programme designed to strengthen training and research capacity in the economic field.

Member states of IGAD (Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda): ECU 1.9 million for a training programme for the commercialisation of cereals.

Environment

Lesotho: ECU 1.3 million for a community reforestation programme in the Lesotho Highlands.

Institutional support

Djibouti: ECU 250 000 to provide technical support for the computerisation of the National Bank's accounting system.

Niger: ECU 1.8 million to support the electoral process.

Kenya: ECU 1.7 million for an assistance programme for the National Authorising

Officer covering the management of funds allocated by the European Community.

Zambia: ECU 1.5 million for the first phase of a tourism development programme.

Cariforum countries-Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Bahamas, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago): ECU 725 000 in technical assistance for the programming unit of the Cariforum General Secretariat.

Miscellaneous

All ACPs: ECU 5 million to strengthen fisheries management and biodiversity.

Ghana: ECU 1.5 million for a pilot project in the field of decentralised cooperation.

Kenya: ECU 12.5 million for a community development programme in the battle against poverty.

Somalia: ECU 47 million for the second rehabilitation programme. The focus will be on productive activities (livestock, agriculture and fisheries), the social sectors (health, water, sanitation systems and education), the private sector (revenue generation, job creation, SMEs), the public sector (training, establishment of institutions), demobilisation, and the integration of former combatants

Zambia: ECU 1.6 million for a programme to combat poverty including, in particular, the provision of credit to micro-enterprises.

Zaire: ECU 2 million to support the integration of displaced people in Kasai.