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EU grants 63 million euro to Timor-Leste

The Australian

May 1, 2008

Smith steps in with $30m for UN program

Mark Dodd

THE Rudd Government will give the UN World Food Program $30million in emergency assistance to help stem a global food crisis.

Massive hikes in the price of essential food supplies last month triggered an appeal by the WFP for additional emergency funding.

The UN body singled out the drought in Australia as one reason behind the difficulty it had in sourcing food for the world's starving from its traditional suppliers.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said yesterday Australia was a strong WFP supporter, having provided more than $1 billion for its operations since 1963. The Government was pleased to be able to respond to the UN's latest appeal for $500 million, hesaid.

``The Government will also lift Australia's engagement in international efforts to address the root causes of food insecurity in developing countries, through increased development assistance, constructive participation in multilateral processes and continued advocacy for international trade policy reform,'' he said.

``In line with the establishment of a taskforce on the global food crisis by the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, the Australian Government has tasked relevant agencies to work together in developing a comprehensive action plan for long-term food security measures.''

The UN chief has warned of the prospect of food riots on an ``unprecedented scale'' unless action can be taken to stem the global food crisis.

The WFP is the world's largest provider of emergency food aid. It estimates that about 100 million people are short of food.

Last month, the WFP's Asia head of operations, Tony Banbury, told The Australian that 28million people were in need of food in Asia alone.

Millions of others were living on the subsistence line following a doubling of the price of wheat and rice in the past 12 months, he said, adding that the food crisis was causing rising social unrest in Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

The US is the WFP's biggest donor, followed by Canada. Australia ranks 10th but has stepped in to provide an additional $2million to help alleviate food shortages in Sri Lanka, $1 million for East Timor and $5 million for Afghanistan.

The UN announced yesterday that it would be closing down a displaced persons camp in Dili, in East Timor, after earlier threatening to cut rations. About 8692 displaced people will return to their traditional homes after escaping violence that tore the country apart in 2006.

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Source: <http://europa.eu.int/comm/index_en.htm>European Commission (EC)

Date: 29 Apr 2008

EU grants 63 million euro to Timor-Leste

The European Commission has given Timor-Leste a six-year 63 € million grant to build national institutions and support governance reforms, improve health services and reduce poverty. This is slightly more than was granted in previous years. Under the new Timor Leste Country Strategy Paper and National Indicative Program, concluded by the EU and Timor Leste on 25 March 2008, Timor Leste will receive more than € 10 Million per year in comparison to € 9 million per year for 2006 and 2007. The six-year aid strategy was negotiated with the Government of Timor-Leste and is based on the Governments priorities. The indicative allocation foresees:

- € 35 Million for Sustainable Rural Development

- € 8 Million for Health

- € 13 Million for Institutional Capacity Building

- € 4 Million for support to Non-State Actors

- € 3 Million for Technical Cooperation Facility to support the National Authorizing Officer (Ministry of Finance) and other concerned Ministries for the implementation of the National Indicative Program.