URR gets D1M Catalan Project

URR gets over D1M Catalan project
Africa » Gambia
Monday, May 21, 2012

A new project amounting to the tune of 30, 000 Euros (equivalent to 1, 140, 000 Dalasis) funded by the Catalan Fund for International Cooperation in Spain is set to be launched on May 26, 2012, in the Upper River Region (URR). This development was disclosed recently by the project consultant, Kemo Conteh during a meeting with stakeholders in the region.

The project, among other things, has the objective to assist local governance and enhance development in the region. It further aimed to carry out capacity assessment and capacity building programme with a view to addressing functional and fiscal decentralization in basic project planning and management.

The project, expected to be conducted over a period of six to seven months, according to the officials will be implemented in two phases, with the first one concentrating on capacity assessment through which the capacity gaps over local state and non-state institutions in URR will be determined.

Speaking at a meeting held at the Governor’s Bantaba, Conteh harped on the importance of the project, explaining that it will help develop the capacities of local state and non-state actors in local governance and development in the region. He expressed hope that at the end of the implementation of the project, people will better understand the non-state actors since they are dealing directly with the communities.

Noting that the donors want the project to be implemented in URR, Conteh said one of the reasons for choosing the region is owing to the fact that most of the Gambian citizens in Spain hail from the region. He explained that the donors felt that they have a role and duty to respond to the need of the citizens that are residing in Spain.

The project consultant went further to explain that the Catalan Fund for International Cooperation is a body that was formed by 30 municipalities that raise money to extend their assistance to local governments in Africa, Latin America and Asia. He indicated that the first African countries to benefit from their benevolent gesture were the Kingdom of Morocco, the Republic of Senegal and now The Gambia.

Speaking earlier, the chairman of Basse Area Council, Omar Sompo Ceesay underscored the importance of the project and went on to describe it as timely for the region. He pointed out that the project came at a time when the country is moving towards achieving its development aspirations, the Vision 202o amongst others. The BAC chairman then assured the benefactors of their full support in the implementation of the project to ensure that the aims and objectives are achieved.

Similar sentiments were expressed by the deputy governor of the region, Momodou S. Jallow and the director of Agriculture for URR, Mbemba Dahaba both of whom commended the donors for their intervention.
Author: Momodou Jawo in Base, URR; Observer