THE Joint Secretariat of the Interreg Caraïbes Program, in collaboration with the OECS Commission, will host an informational session here today.
According to the OECS Communications Unit, the July 19 meeting is organised to provide insight into the Interreg Caraïbes Program in an effort to better enable project managers to access funding opportunities and engage in a program that fosters equitable and sustainable cooperation between the French West Indies and Caribbean countries of the OECS.
The Interreg Caraïbes Program is led by the Regional Council of Guadeloupe as the Managing Authority and is a European Program for Guadeloupe, French Guyana, Martinique and St. Martin (French and European territories) to undertake cooperation activities with their neighbours.
The unit says the program has a budget of approximately 86 million euros to support projects that align with the program strategy and the needs of the territories.
“The budget includes 64 million euros, under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), to support activities of European project holders and a delegate budget of approximately 2.9 million euros, under the European Development Fund (EDF), to support the activities of non-European project holders,” it says.
According to the OECS, “Interreg Caraïbes is intended to address various issues shared by these territories, such as: Strengthening the competitiveness of Caribbean companies that create wealth and jobs; Strengthening the capacity to respond to natural hazards; Protecting and enhancing the natural and cultural environment in the Caribbean; Developing a coordinated response across the Caribbean to common issues of public health; Supporting the development of renewable energy in the Eastern Caribbean; and Strengthening human capital.”