Download EU announces new support for sustainable development of Kiribati

EUROPEAN COMMISSION - WEB RELEASE
EU announces new support for sustainable
development of Kiribati
Brussels, 03 February 2015
EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica, has today announced
new EU support of €23 million for Kiribati, which represents almost a doubling (an increase of 80%) of
previous EU support (between 2008 and 2013.) The new commitment was announced in Brussels as the
Commissioner joined His Excellency, Anote Tong, President of Kiribati, to sign the National Indicative Plan
2014-2020 for Kiribati under the European Development Fund.
The new funding will be spent on the Socio-economic Development of Kiritimati Island. Kiritimati island
holds 70% of the island country's land surface, but for a long time was virtually uninhabited. The funding
will help to improve economic opportunities and livelihoods in Kiribati by developing Kiritimati, thereby
also helping to alleviate growing climate change threats affecting the main island Tarawa as well as
poverty. It includes supportive measures such as enhancing administrative capacities and boosting civil
society organisations.
Announcing the support, Commissioner Mimica said:
'Despite the geographical distance between the EU and Kiribati, I'd like to underline the EU's ongoing
commitment and support to being a firm partner to the country, as well as the Pacific region as a whole:
particularly in its fight against climate change.'
In line with the Agenda for Change (the EU's policy to refocus its aid on those countries and sectors
where it is most needed and can make the biggest difference), the EU's development strategy is guided
by Kiribati's own development plans, where the Kiribati government wish to develop Kiritimati, which
offers tangible and realistic prospects for socio-economic development of domestic tuna fisheries, sea
freight for people and merchandise, tourism and private sector development.
Kiribati, with 103,000 habitants distributed over small 33 islands, is one of the most isolated countries in
the world. It is environmentally fragile and highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. A rise in
sea level by just 60 cm could render Kiribati uninhabitable. Several communities have already been
compelled to resettle inland thereby creating tensions over the use of already stretched resources.
Maintaining food and water security, managing infrastructure and accommodating to climate change is a
major challenge for this country with a rapidly growing population and where land is a scarce resource.
On South Tarawa 60% of the population live on only 10 km² of safely habitable land.
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The EU also provides support for Kiribati through thematic funding in selected areas (Renewable energy
and water and sanitation), as well as regional support and a Fisheries Partnership Agreement. Kiribati is
the only Pacific nation with which the EU has fishery partnership agreement (FPA) with an on-going
protocol. The agreement has been extended for three years starting September 2012 and provides
fishing possibilities for 10 EU vessels fishing in the Kiribati waters.
National Indicative Programmes
National Indicative Programmes (NIPs) represent an important step in the programming of EU aid under
the EDF, which covers development cooperation of the EU with 78 African, Caribbean and Pacific
countries.
NIPs are prepared in close cooperation with the partner country so as to ensure that they support
national priorities where the EU has an added value. They are based on the government’s own policies
and strategies reflecting its analysis of needs.
For further details, please contact:
Stacey Vickers, Team leader, Press team, Directorate General, International Cooperation and
Development, European Commission, [email protected], or +32 229-94153
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