JP/13/EU

EU plans 1.5m euros in aid for RI small projects

Wahyoe Boediwardhana The Jakarta Post Denpasar, Bali

The European Union plans to allocate some 1.5 million euros (about US$1.24 million) in financial assistance to support various social and economic projects in Indonesia, a senior European Commission official said on Friday.

The financial assistance is part of the EU's three-year Small Project Facility (SPF) program, which was first launched in 2003. The program is aimed at promoting economic co-operation between the EU and Indonesia, and support the ongoing reform process in the Indonesian economy and system of governance.

EU officials in charge of the SPF project on Friday briefed local tourism entrepreneurs, non-governmental organizations, and local bureaucrats about the program.

"Proposals should be submitted no later than 60 days after this meeting in order to provide us with sufficient time to conduct the review and selection process," SPF project manager Cecile Leroy said.

Approved proposals would be entitled to financial assistance ranging to between 50,000 euros to 250,000 euros.

The EU has pledged to allocate a total 6 million euros to the three-year SPF program.

Last year, the EU spent 1.7 million euros on financing twelve different projects across the country.

In Bali, two successful recipients of grants were the Yayasan Bumi Kita foundation and the Desa Pekraman (customary village) Delod Yeh in Sidemen, Karangasem.

Yayasan Bumi Kita was awarded an 81,400-euro funding facility for its project on the promotion of sustainable nature and community-based tourism involving small and medium enterprises. Meanwhile, Desa Pekraman Delod Yeh was awarded 90,217 euros for its project involving dairy cow breeding and a milk production training center.