Bilateral cooperation programmes with Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia

Norway was one of the 91 signatories of the The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, March 2005. 

Two of the main commitments of the Declaration are: 

• i) Strengthening partner countries’ national development strategies and associated operational frameworks (e.g., planning, budget and performance assessment frameworks.) 
• ii) Increasing alignment of aid with partner countries’ priorities, systems and procedures and helping to strengthen their capacities. 

In adherence to these commitments the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established programmes of bilateral cooperation with Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia (a programme for Norwegian bilateral assistance to Croatia was finalised in 2008). 

The objective of the programmes has been to increase the partner countries’ involvement in defining and implementing aid projects funded by Norway. Some of the projects are being co-financed by Norway and the partner country. 

Public administration reform (PAR) is the core target area for cooperation within the framework of the bilateral cooperation programmes. 

Applications for financial support to PAR-projects in Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia shall not be submitted to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign

Affairs, but be channelled to the coordinating unit in the partner country. 

To obtain financial support, the application has to be in line with the partner country’s own priorities and development plans, as well as the priorities of the Norwegian Government as presented in the yearly Budget Proposal (Proposition No. 1 2010-2011). 

Applications deemed relevant both by partner country and Norway will be submitted to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for final approval. 

The projects within the framework of the bilateral cooperation programmes are subjected to the same set of requirements regarding project quality and the applicant’s follow-up and reporting obligations as the other projects under the grant scheme (see grant schemes rules.) 

Macedonia
Approximately 50 % of the Norwegian assistance to Macedonia is allocated to projects under the bilateral cooperation programme. Priority areas are: (i) Good Governance, (ii) Energy, environment and climate change mitigation, (iii) Peace and reconciliation, (iv) Job creation.   

Application should be sent to Secretariat for European Affairs, - the coordinating unit in Macedonia. The dead line for applications is 1 February. 

Contact address:
Bul. Ilinden bb.
1000 Skopje
Republic of Macedonia 

Contact person:
Jovan Despotovski
e-mail: jovan.despotovski@sep.gov.mk
Tel.: 00 389 2 3200 138

Contact person in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (projects in Macedonia): Senior adviser Arild Moberg Sande. E-mail: ams@mfa.no

Montenegro
The Norwegian assistance to Montenegro is approximately 15 million NOK in 2011. Nearly all of it being channelled through the bilateral cooperation programme. The main objectives are support to Montenegro’s Euro-Atlantic integration, and implementation of reforms necessary for the EU- and NATO accession process.

Focal areas for the Norwegian assistance are: energy sector development, the judiciary and security sector reform.

Please be informed that there will be no announcement of opportunity to apply for grants in 2011 for Montenegro. All available funds have been allocated.

Coordinating unit in Montenegro is the Ministry of Economy, Department for International Relations. For information concerning deadlines, procedures etc. please contact:

Ivana Saranovic Jovicevic. E-mail: Ivana@Saranovic@gov.me
Address: Rimski trg 46
81000 Podgorica
Montenegro

Contact person in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Senior adviser Arild Moberg Sande ams@mfa.no

Serbia
Approximately 50 % of the Norwegian assistance to Serbia (100 mill. NOK) is channelled through the bilateral cooperation programme. Focus areas are: (i) institutional building measures and public administration reforms (special attention to reforms of security sector and the judicial system), (ii) renewable energy and climate change mitigation, and (iii) strengthening the capacity of independent regulatory bodies.

Please be informed that there will be no announcement of opportunity to apply for grants until the end of 2011 since all available funds have been allocated.

For information of the bilateral cooperation programme with Serbia, please contact:

European Integration Office, Sector for planning, programming, monitoring and reporting on EU funds and development assistance.

Contact person:
Dejan Gojkovic.
E-mail: dejan.gojkovic@mfin.gov.rs

Address:
34 Nemanjina St.,
11000 Belgrade
Serbia

Contact person in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

Senior adviser Jannicke Bain. E-mail: jaba@mfa.no