EU to peg development assistance on governance

Only last year, the EU made major concessions on the use of the EDF when it agreed to merge programmes under the kitty with those of countries in single regional trading blocs to make them more effective.

This was seen as part of a strategy to win the support of countries negotiating the EPAs by ensuring transformation in the implementation of projects and programmes under the EDF.

In a declaration between the EC and its development partners under the auspices of the inter-regional coordination committee (IRCC), new ventures under the EDF will have to support existing cooperation programmes that have direct impact on the ongoing integration processes.

“Regional organisations will intensify the development and harmonisation of their aid for trade strategies, ensure coherence and alignment at national and regional levels to cover the wider aid for trade agenda,” the pact reached in December 2009 reads in part.