Minister Vigenin chaired a meeting of the Interministerial Council on International Development Cooperation
16 May 2014 News
The Interministerial Council on International Development Cooperation held a regular meeting today under the chairmanship of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Kristian Vigenin. Among the participants in the Council meeting were the Deputy Minister of Finance, Kiril Zhelev, of Education and Science, Atanaska Teneva, of Interior, Plamen Angelov, as well as directors and experts from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs andthe Ministry of Economy and Energy.
Minister Vigenin presented to the Council members information on the project activities that took place since the last meeting in November 2013. From the second half of last year we started working more systematically and actively in line with the international development cooperation. This is a tool that is very flexible and has high visibility in the countries that use it effectively, he said, expressing hope that Bulgaria will gradually reach their level.
The Council approved the Development Cooperation strategy programs for Vietnam and the Republic of Macedonia. These program documents, under Decree 234, outline the main objectives and principles of development cooperation, as well as the mechanisms for providing development aid and humanitarian assistance.
The Council members also approved the annual agenda for development cooperation and humanitarian aid for 2014.Minister Vigenin informed the participants about the setting up of a scholarship program for representatives of priority countries for Bulgaria under the international development cooperation, such as Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, the Republic of Macedonia and Vietnam.
During today's meeting, the Council discussed the national preparations dedicated to the celebration of 2015 as European Year for Development. Minister Kristian Vigenin emphasized that the goal is to plan events which will raise the awareness of the Bulgarian public about the activities and the results of the country's policy within international development cooperation.
In the preparation of the program, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will actively cooperate with NGO representatives. A cooperation agreement between the MFA and Bulgarian Platform for International Development, which brings together 17 organizations, is expected to be signed soon.