Given the increasing need to encourage sustainable economic growth in the light of changing dynamics of both the national economy and particularly of rural people’s lives and livelihoods, the Government is committed to improving the efficiency in which EU grant funds are programmed and implemented. To this end, allocation has been made from the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). This allocation is intended to strengthen the National Authorising Officer’s (NAO) Unit to ensure the efficient management of the partnership programme between the European Union (EU) and SVG.
The National Authorising Officer’s (NAO) Unit is located within the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning, Sustainable Development and Information Technology and is instrumental in ensuring that there is effective aid delivery. This is geared towards increased economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction, all in alignment with the 2030 Development Agenda; the Sustainable Development Goals, the Sendai Framework, the SAMOA Pathway, the Paris Agreement, and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.
The overall development objective of the programme is to enhance the EU-SVG partnership through effective policy dialogue, communication and management of financial resources in support of the implementation of the Government’s development strategies and policies. The purpose of this intervention is to strengthen the NAO Support Unit to ensure the efficient management of the partnership between the EU and SVG.
The office of the NAO will be supported under the 11th EDF allocation to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. This support will be operationalised through a programme estimate. The NAOSU component of the programme estimate will support the operations of, and improve the institutional capacity within the office of the NAO for the efficient planning, implementation and monitoring of development projects and programmes financed by the EU (i.e. EDF, B-Envelopes and Banana Accompanying Measures (BAM)). Additionally, activities will be undertaken to improve awareness among key actors on development issues.