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Members of the Steering Committee for the EU Sector Policy Support Programme in Social Protection and Public Finance Management met at the Ministry of Finance. The Committee comprises representatives of the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Finance and Delegation of the European Union to the Kyrgyz Republic.

The main objective of the meeting was to review the progress made in the implementation of the programme. Special attention was paid to the fulfilment of the conditions related to the disbursement of the second tranche of the programme, in amount 5 million euro.

During the meeting the Minister of Social Development, Mr. Kudaibergen Bazarbaev stated: “The outcome of the development strategy of social protection should be to strengthen international confidence in the Government of Kyrgyzstan to the reforms carried out by us.”
 

The EU Ambassador Cesare de Montis stressed that the EU Delegation had reached a positive conclusion on the achievements made so far. This, together with the recommendations of the review team, will be the basis for the formal and final decision on the disbursement which will be taken by EUHQ in Brussels. A positive assessment will lead to the disbursement of the tranche before the end of the year.

The overall objective of the Sector Policy Support Programme in Social Protection and Public Finance Management (SPSP) is to support the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic in the development, implementation and monitoring of effective poverty reduction policies, improving living standards and ensuring access to social services for vulnerable sectors of the population, in relevance with the Social Development Strategy (2012-2014). In total ?40 million in grants was programmed by the EU under the SPSP from 2008 to 2011, of which ? 37.75 million is used as direct budget support and ? 2.25 mil is used for technical assistance.

This is a part of the EU bilateral assistance provided on a grant basis to Kyrgyzstan for 2007-2013 in total amount of ? 171, 2 million. This support has been focused on the rule of law and good governance, social protection, education, agriculture and rural development, conflict mitigation.