Hungary

The Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recently won an European Union (EU) tender to help new member state, Hungary, develop its Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) programme. The ten new EU members have been set a target of spending of 0.17 per cent of their Gross National Income (GNI) on ODA by 2010 and 0.33 per cent by 2015. In 2006, Hungary spent about US$ 110 million (EUR 83 million) - or 0.11 per cent of GNI – on ODA.

Hungary has outsourced ODA management to a non-profit company, Hun-ida, for three years. One of Hungary’s focus areas for aid is water resources management, including water treatment. Some 20 per cent of Hungarian bilateral ODA goes to basic services (basic education, primary health care, safe water and sanitation, including humanitarian assistance). In 2004, Hungary trained Iraqi experts in drinking water supply, sewerage and solid waste management.

India

The Indian Government, through the Ex-Im Bank of India, has given Jamaica a US$9 million (EUR 6.8 million) loan to purchase equipment for its rural water development programme and small business sector. Jamaica secured the loan during a visit of India's Minister of State for External Affairs, Anand Sharma, to the Caribbean island.

In Nepal in 2006, India provided small grants for two drinking water projects and one stormwater drainage project through its bilateral cooperation programme.

Related news: Emerging donors: Chinese and Brazilian involvement in the water sector in Africa, Source Weekly, 8 Dec 2006

Web sites: Hungary. Ministry of Foreign Affairs – International Development ; India. Ministry of External Affairs

Source: Development Today (subscription site), 13 Feb 2007 ; Jamaica Gleaner, 19 Feb 2007 ; India Embassy in Nepal, 2006 press releases

Tags: policies & legislation