10th EDF/Seychelles programme a success |20 December 2013

The 10th European Development Fund (EDF) partnership with Seychelles has been described as a success.

The declaration was made recently during an evaluation workshop attended by the French ambassador Geneviève Iancu, British high commissioner Lindsay Skoll, the local project director Philip Michaud, and European Union (EU), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and civil society representatives.

The EDF programme is an EU funding system which finances development projects in developing countries. In Seychelles, the MFA and the UNDP act as implementation partners.

The overall objective of the 10th five-year EDF programme which started in 2009 was to support the efforts of state and non-state actors to continue improving and strengthening governance capacity in Seychelles’ society. Particular emphasis was put in the area of human rights for the sustainable and equitable development of Seychelles.

Under the 10th programme, a total sum of US $759,721.40 was disbursed, of which $350,000 were awarded to Seychelles’ Governance Small Grants Programme targeting the most vulnerable groups in society such as children, youths, prisoners and the disabled.

Consequently, 13 organisations received grants ranging from US $10,000 to $40,000.

Among the outputs achieved are training courses for police and prison officers, training of artists on copyright issues, the production of a report on the status of human rights treaties to which Seychelles is a signatory, the modernisation of existing family and children’s laws and the strengthening of non-governmental organisations (NGOs). A Prison Strategic Plan, a Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Management Plan and a Human Rights National Plan of Action have also been drafted.

The 10th EDF programme has also permitted the promotion of the rights and access to the disabled and promotion of safe blood among the population, as well as easy access to the precious liquid.

Mr Michaud has said that when the 10th EDF programme was launched, the question asked was where it would lead to. He said he was happy to observe that the programme has built the management capacity of NGOs and will lead to better progress in human rights and good governance.

While thanking the EU for the funding, the UNDP for technical guidance and all local partners including the government and civil society organisations, Mr Michaud expressed hope that Seychelles will be able to measure the projects’ effectiveness in the short and middle-term.

The local UNDP representative Roland Alcindor confirmed the programme’s success and wished that the projects will be sustainable.

“The UNDP rates the programme as a success. UNDP is proud to be associated in the programme as good governance is one of the key focus areas of UNDP. Good governance is a precondition for sustainable development, good justice system, and effective social services. We should now look beyond the realisation of the projects in order to ensure sustainability. This is where the impact will be really felt,” Mr Alcindor said.

As among the 13 funded projects nine will be implemented by NGOs, Mr Alcindor concluded that the projects, which according to him will change the lives of many Seychellois, will bring a wider collaboration between the state and the civil society.