Sudan is now the largest recipient of Norwegian development aid, with a budget of approximately 600 million NOK per year. Development assistance covers a wide variety of areas, and entails both bilateral and multilateral projects. Consolidating peace in the whole of Sudan is the main focus for all Norwegian involvement.
16/12/2006 :: Norwegian involvement in Sudan has increased substantially after the signing of the CPA in 2005. The Norwegian Government hosted in April 2005 an international “Oslo Donors’ Conference on Sudan”, as an important forum for the international community to pledge support for the people of the Sudan in the reconstruction phase that started with the signing of the peace agreement. At the conference, international donors pledged assistance to Sudan amounting to USD 4,5 bn. For the coming years, these contributions will play a major role in the development co-operation between Sudan and the international community.
Multi Donor Trust Funds and Joint Donor Office
Norway is committed to long term and broad-based development co-operation with Sudan. Working with other donors, we are involved in efforts that seek harmonization between donors and effectiveness of international aid. The Multi Donor Trust Funds (MDTFs) are important vehicles, both on national and regional levels, for achieving these goals. Most of Norwegian contributions with regards to long term assistance are channelled through these funds, where emphasis is on national ownership. Projects funded from these sources focus primarily on the implementation of the peace agreement, reconstruction and poverty reduction. In May 2006, the Joint Donor Office (JDO) opened in Juba. This is an innovative effort of coordinating development assistance between the UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Norway.
Main areas for development co-operation
Norway also channels funds through UN-agencies and various NGOs. Humanitarian assistance is primarily channelled through the UN Work Plan for Sudan. Among the priority areas are recovery, education, health and food security. Norway seeks to contribute to return and reintegration of refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) all over Sudan. Further, Norway, together with UNDP, supports capacity building and institutional support in both the North and the South of Sudan, with a particular emphasis on capacity building of the Presidential Office of Government of Southern Sudan and the newly established Parliament in Juba.
Important focus areas
The establishment of a new, national currency is an important element in the CPA. Norway has taken the lead in coordinating financial support among international donors and representatives from the Sudanese Central Bank.
Oil and energy resources are also important areas for Norwegian involvement. The petroleum co-operation with Sudan entails both capacity and confidence building, in addition to technical support.
NORAMB