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PRESS RELEASE : Swedish Government co-finances UNDP-Angola Civic Education Programme with more than 1 million dollars

Luanda , 13 June 2007 - Erik Åberg, the Ambassador of Sweden in Angola, has signed a co-financing agreement with the United Nations Development Programme in Angola on behalf of the Swedish Government. This agreement will bring seven million Swedish Krona (1,011,560. 69 US$) to the UNDP Civic Education Project.

According to Camilo Ceita, Assistant Country Director for Poverty, Environment and HIV/AIDS, the project "is going to reinforce civil society organizations interested in Civic Education issues, particularly related to women and other segments of society, in matters that include access to information, human rights and gender". Camilo Ceita also thinks that this project "will reinforce technical and management capacities of project beneficiaries. This fund is valid for the entire Angolan territory and all interested organizations should apply for it”.

Despite being a national fund priority will be given to projects executed in the following provinces: Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Kuando Kubango, Moxico, Uíge, and Zaire . NGO’s and Civil Society Organizations from the entire country and the Electoral National Comission were invited to submit proposals. Proposals should address one of the following themes: 1 – Democratic dialogue towards National reconciliation and inclusion of women and other vulnerable groups in the process of decision making on national elections, 2 - Organization’s Capacity Building; 3 – Civic Education: focused on civic knowledge and civic practices; and 4 – Promotion of Citizens Access to Information and Mass Media.

The Civic Education project has an overall budget of 4,168,000.00 US$ and its first phase will last until June 2008. UNDP and other donors, besides the Swedish Government, are also funding this project. Qualification of organizations and institutions for funds is still under process. More than 25 NGO proposals have already been received at the UNDP office but the formal capacity and technical assessment is not finished yet. As a result, UNDP will organize a meeting in July to give a full briefing about the project situation to donors and partners involved.

The project will last 12 months with possibility for extension, depending on the level of mobilization of resources and implementation capacity of beneficiaries.