Luxembourg's development cooperation - Annual report 2016

Cooperation with Vietnam and El Salvador features for the first time in this part of the report due to the fact that these countries no longer have a multi-annual Indicative Cooperation Programme. This is a consequence of the drive to concentrate Luxembourg’s aid on the least developed countries and the result of a long process of consolidation of activities in these two countries. Some projects continue to be implemented but based on different partnerships with distinct objectives. On the one hand, innovative modalities of implementing aid or direct support to civil society need to be trialled, as in El Salvador and, on the other hand, the diversification of relations with Vietnam needs to be encouraged, especially in the fields of research, combating climate change or the transfer of financial technologies.

Some projects continue to be implemented in a limited number of countries where Luxembourg has been active for a large number of years, due in particular to their special status. This is the case for Kosovo, where a new programme has started, Mongolia, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which continue to benefit from the same status as the partner countries, and Afghanistan. In Myanmar, the first two projects have started in the sectors of rural development and hospitality training.

As in the past, the bilateral action of Luxembourg’s development cooperation is complemented by a regional approach on three continents, i.e. Africa, Asia and Central America. This approach aims to respond to common problems being faced by several neighbouring countries, particularly by using synergies and the sharing of lessons learned and best practice.

In West Africa, direct support to civil society via ENDA Tiers Monde and ENDA Santé is being complemented by multilateral approaches, especially in the health sector with the WHO, UNFPA and UNICEF, and with UNDP in the field of disaster risk reduction. Collaboration with the African Union is continuing in the field of new information and communication technologies.

In Central America, Luxembourg’s development cooperation has continued to be active in the field of corporate social responsibility via the regional umbrella organisation INTEGRARSE and in the strengthening of financial systems through a programme to build the FMI’s capacities (CAPTAC-DR).

In South-East Asia, the regional approach is being adopted to strengthen land governance (Mekong Region Land Governance) and the responsible management of natural resources (Mekong River Commission).