Prime Minister announces support for Eastern European reforms
Britain will support projects tackling corruption, improving access to justice and advising small businesses in Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova
Ten projects worth nearly £3.5 million will form the first tranche of projects of the UK’s Good Governance Fund, Prime Minister David Cameron said at the Eastern Partnership summit in Riga today.
The Fund, launched at the March European Council, is providing up to £20 million in 2015/16 to support economic reform and good governance in at least five Eastern neighbourhood and Balkan countries.
Prime Minister David Cameron said:
These initiatives will help to improve the business environment and encourage investment, strengthen a free and independent media, and support judicial reform. This is driven by the aspirations of these countries and will help them build a better future for their people.
International Development Secretary Justine Greening said:
A stronger, more democratic and more successful Eastern neighbourhood is in all our interests.
These new projects will fight corruption, improve the judicial system and make it easier to do business in these countries, helping to boost stability and prosperity on the EU’s doorstep.
The ten projects announced today include:
-
Over £2 million for projects in Ukraine, including £1 million to establish an anti-corruption body and £200,000 for projects supporting independent media organisations and journalists
-
£750,000 for a technical assistance programme in Moldova which will support rule of law reforms, access to justice, judicial reforms, arbitration and mediation
-
£650,000 to build Georgia’s capacity to better communicate and advise local small businesses on the opportunities to trade with the world’s largest single market
The Eastern Partnership Summit brings together the EU and its Eastern Partners - Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Belarus – to assist Eastern European countries as they undertake political, economic and governance reforms.