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New EU support to boost socio-economic development & regional cooperation in the Southern Mediterranean

The European Neighbourhood Policy in action: €129 million new EU support for socio-economic development, regional cooperation and youth empowerment in the Southern Neighbourhood region.

The European Union yesterday announced a new assistance package of over €129 million to support socio-economic development, job creation and youth empowerment in the Southern Mediterranean. This assistance is provided through the European Neighbourhood Instrument in the framework of the renewed European Neighbourhood policy.

Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, commented: “This new funding will boost socio-economic development and job creation in our neighbours countries. It will make a difference in citizens’ daily lives and improve their living conditions. It will also tackle security and youth empowerment, two key areas of our EU support which are crucial for bringing more stability to this volatile region.”

Yesterday’s assistance package includes over €88 million to support bilateral cooperation projects that will benefit citizens in Egypt (€50 million) and Palestine [1] (€38.6 million) through enhanced socio-economic development and job creation, promotion of women rights, improved water resource management and youth empowerment.

In addition, over €41 million will fund regional cooperation programmes which will benefit the Southern Neighbourhood region as a whole and tackle major common regional challengesfaced by the partner countries, such as job creation, security, socio-economic inclusionand youth empowerment. These regional projects will complement the bilateral cooperation projects.

More details:

MEMOs:

Egypt

Palestine

Regional cooperation programmes

For more information:

European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/neighbourhood/southern-neighbourhood/index_en.htm

EU Neighbourhood Info Centre:http://www.enpi-info.eu/

[1]This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the Member States on this issue.

 

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