NETHERLANDS EMBASSY/ BILATERAL CO-OPERATION PROGRAMMES

Background

An intensive development cooperation programme with Macedonia started in 1994 with a focus on education, private sector development, agriculture, gender and public finance management. Grants amounting to approximately € 200 million were provided, of which around € 100 million in budget support. . Since Macedonia evolved from being an ODA (Official Development Assistance) eligible partner to a middle income country in the past decade and became a candidate member of the EU in 2005, a policy shift was set in motion to phase out the Dutch ODA assistance to Macedonia. This process was finalized on 31 December 2010. Macedonia however remains an important partner for the Netherlands as an aspiring EU and NATO member.

Since Macedonia does not receive Dutch ODA support anymore, the available bilateral cooperation budget is limited. The focus of current support, funded from the Embassy’s MATRA budget, is to sectors that are relevant to Macedonia’s accession to the EU and NATO, with a particular focus on Rule of Law. Furthermore a bilateral technical assistance facility in the field of public finance management is available to the Macedonian Ministry of Finance, based on a bilateral MoU signed by the Macedonian and Dutch Ministries of Finance in 2011.


The following instruments are available to strengthen bilateral relations and to support Macedonia in its transition process:

   - MATRA Fund (Rule of Law and Culture)

   - Small Embassy Fund (small scale projects)


Deadline: Open


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