MAE/016
Regional technical assistance fund in Central America

The general strategy of Luxembourg's cooperation « On the Road to 2030 » is aimed at eradicating extreme poverty through sustainable economic, social and environmental development. This strategy is based on four main axes:

• improving access to quality basic social services;
• strengthening the socio-economic integration of women and young people:
• promoting inclusive governance; and
• promoting sustainable and inclusive growth.

Cross-cutting priorities are human rights, gender equality and environmental sustainability. The Regional Technical Assistance Fund (RTAF), MAE/016, will focus on the cross-cutting priorities of the 2030 strategy of the Luxembourg Cooperation, as well as on the theme of innovative technologies and capacity building in general. The aim is to set up and implement a Regional Technical Assistance Fund (RTAF) to support Luxembourg's cooperation partners in Central America. This TA Fund has an obligation of means rather than an obligation of results.

The technical assistance provided through the RTAF is conceived as an additional instrument to accompany and monitor projects and not as technical assistance to be implemented within projects. The MAE/016 will therefore ensure the consolidation of support, with the exception of the three bilateral projects in El Salvador, which already have the technical assistance fund of the SVD/024 project.

The use of the fund's resources is based on objectives that have already been clearly identified in the various ongoing projects.

In the specific case of Nicaragua, depending on the country's political development, the fund could also be used to carry out exploratory studies that would help prepare for the post-crisis period and the resumption of bilateral cooperation. These funds could benefit non-governmental partners of the Luxembourg Cooperation in Nicaragua whose expertise in the traditional sectors of intervention (technical education and vocational training, tourism and health), but also in non-traditional sectors such as ICTs, is proven.