Strategic Co-operation Programme - Portugal and Guinea-Bissau (2014-2020)
This Strategic Co-operation Programme stems from the political will of the Portuguese and Guinea Bissau governments to extend their co-operative relationship until 2020, representing an important contribution to stability, rule of law and good governance as well as the eradication of poverty with the aim of creating sustainable development in Guinea-Bissau and under the terms of the Action Plan signed in November 2014.
Guinea-Bissau has demonstrated a strong commitment to stability, which is an indispensable platform for development. In this context, relations of bilateral co-operation are guided by a common vision and shared values.
The programme builds on the Terra Ranka Strategic and Operational Plan 2015-2020 which advocates social progress for Guinea Bissau in an environment of prosperity and peace in the context of inclusive and durable development, with the participation of the Guinea-Bissau population, in particular young people as the key advocates of change.
The development model for the coming years is heavily based on Guinea Bissau’s natural and human resources with a view to boosting the economy and strengthening the country’s institutional and human capacities in order to achieve sound and sustainable development with measurable and visible results.
The programme is also based on the principles of the Strategic Concept of Portuguese Co-operation 2014-2020, as well as the lessons and good practices of partnership between the two countries on the basis of a transversal logic of capacity building.
Thus, the Strategic Co-operation Programme (SCP) represents a strong commitment between the Portuguese and Guinea Bissau authorities in order to achieve a set of programmes and projects identified by both sides, which is guided by the principles of peace-building and state consolidation.
Strategic Co-operation Programme - Portugal and East Timor (2014-2017)
This agreement reflects the improvement of bilateral co-operative relations between the governments of East Timor and Portugal, rising to a new level that takes into account the current reality and respective national policies, as well as the willingness of the East Timor authorities to adopt a co-operation plan based on the East Timor Strategic Development Plan 2011-2013, Strategic National Sector Plan and the New Deal for the Development of Fragile States, whose implementation process warrants the active participation of Portuguese co-operation.
The new programme is also based on respective Portuguese co-operation strategies, including the results of the Indicative Programme of Co-operation for East Timor 2007-2010 and the new Strategic Concept for Portuguese Co-operation 2014-2020, which in the context of Portuguese foreign policy are about contributing to the eradication of poverty and sustainable development within the framework of campaigning for human rights, democracy and the rule of law in partner countries.
The programme also recognises the profound changes in the international architecture of development co-operation with the emergence of new entities, new models of operation and new challenges of a global and interdependent nature, namely climate change, food safety and epidemics.
Strategic Co-operation Programme - Portugal and São Tomé and Principe (2015-2020)
The new strategic co-operation programme between Portugal and São Tomé and Principe incorporates 57.5 million euros for development projects until 2020, two thirds of which will go to education, training, culture, health and social affairs. Most of the major projects that existed in the previous programme, such as the Escola Mais and Saúde para Todos projects and the Military Co-operation Programme will be maintained.
This Strategic Co-operation Programme has a higher concentration of funds and projects, the largest of which are expected to make a more significant impact. These planned interventions are based on a system of participation in order to ensure that the projects are connected to local realities.
This SCP involves the following priorities: education, training and culture (Incremental Programme Scholarships in conjunction with the private sector and support for the creation of the São Tomé Portuguese School), health and social affairs (Institutional Health Capacity-building, support for the management of Ayres de Menezes Hospital, support for restructuring the social security system), justice (inspection and training, legislative production assessment) and security (focusing on maritime security), energy and the environment (which may also include actions in the areas of forestry, the sea, etc.) and finance.
The programme’s objective is to administer aid to projects in São Tomé along with other aspects of co-operation in line with the strategy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to “further boost delegated co-operation with community funds".
Strategic Co-operation Programme with Cape Verde, Mozambique and Angola
The Cape Verde, Mozambique and Angola programmes are currently in the process of negotiation.