The government of The Gambia last Friday signed a 10 million Euro (equivalent to four hundred million dalasi) governance support programme project with the European Union (EU) for the implementation of three main components under the 10th European Development Fund National Indicative Programme.

The ceremony came barely two months after the EU ambassador to the Gambia, Dominique Dellicourmade the disclosure to reporters at State Housein an interview shortly after presenting her letters of credence to President Jammeh.The Daily Observer reported the development in itsDecember 9th, 2011 edition, captioned: EU commits D450M to Gambia’s Development.

The signing of the project, which is a five-year programme that will commence this year, was held at the conference hall of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs in Banjul. Madam Agnes Guillaud, charge d’affairs of the delegation of the European Union to The Gambia signed the project on behalf of the EU while the permanent secretary, Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, Mod AK Secka, signed on behalf of the government.

The overall objective of the governance support programme is to contribute to better democratic and economic governance and includes three main components, -access to justice and legal education, journalists and media and public financial management. Shortly after the signing ceremony, PS Secka, who is also the National Authorising Officer said the programme did not only guarantee citizen’s rights and upholding of the rule of law as enshrined in the Gambian constitution, but will also improve financial governance by strengthening the public financial management reforms.

He explained that the project has the objective to enhance democracy and governance through the provision of access to justice and legal education, freedom of press and quality of information available for the population and public expenditure and financial accountability. While reiterating The Gambia government’s unreserved appreciation and commitment to making its relationship with the European Union stronger, PS Secka thanked the EU for the tremendous support it has been rendering to Gambia.

For her part, Madam Agnes Guillaud, the EU charge d’affairs said the European Union is guided by important principles, which inspired its creation to contribute to peace and stability. Those principles, she said are democracy, the rule of law and the universality of human rights as well as fundamental freedoms and the respect for human dignity. She added that the importance of these areas is reflected by the fact that they are written into the treaty of the EU.

Guillaud told the gathering that inline with the EU principles, its approach to development seeks to empower citizens everywhere to ask for the delivery of the rights and services to which they are entitled and to help partner states to develop their capacity to fulfill the obligations to protect, respect and promote the rights of their citizens.

She pointed out that the EU still remains by far, the biggest multilateral donor in The Gambia and its contribution has increased over the years. She further stated that the programme’s focus area is a key priority of the EU and will enhance the transparency and accountability in the areas of implementation. She noted that EU’s cooperation with The Gambia has been very successful in achieving results in the infrastructure, water and agriculture sectors, where Gambians can see and feel the improvements brought to their lives.

Guillaud also explained that the aims of the EU external assistance is to reinforce ownership of the partner countries to tackle its development challenges, adding that for their support to be sustainable in the long-term, the Gambian government needs to take responsibility for a constructive dialogue with the people.