EU aids infrastructure planning

$11.8 million earmarked for developing government strategies on water, energy, and roads

The Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) signed an agreement with the European Union (EU) for supporting strategies in the sectors of water, energy, and land transportation.

Through the agreement, signed in December 2011, the EU pledged the equivalent of €9 million (around $11.87 million) in aid to fully finance the ‘Support for Infrastructure Sector Strategies and Alternative Financing’ project. The project’s implementation will span over six years.

The general objective of the project is to improve the efficiency of service delivery and financial sustainability in the three infrastructure sectors. The project also aims to act as a foundation from which to address key environmental issues, from better control of water resources to the introduction of renewable energy sources.

The project is expected to develop a comprehensive framework on the basis of a long-term vision of the needs of the sectors. The project is also expected to develop cooperation among stakeholders, including a strategy for coordination with civil society, the private sector, and local authorities.