Press Release

OFID grants US$7 million to promote development

35/2007 December 5, 2007 Vienna, Austria
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The Governing Board of the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) has approved grant financing totaling US$7.1 million in support of several major development initiatives.

A grant of US$3 million will support 21 civil society organizations in West Bank, Palestine. Assistance will cover needed services in areas such as rehabilitation services to the disabled; early childhood development and higher learning. Other areas to be covered include health care; agricultural development and women’s education. Proceeds will be drawn from OFID’s Special Grant Account for Palestine.

Another grant of US$3 million will co-finance a joint OFID/United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime HIV/AIDS Initiative to enhance the availability of prevention, care and treatment services in Asia, sub-Sahara Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly among high-risk groups such as drug users. The funds will be drawn from OFID’s Special Grant Account for HIV/AIDS Operations.

A third grant of US$500,000 will help finance the second phase of an agricultural research scheme conducted by the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture, Dubai, UAE, and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad, India, in partnership with the National Agricultural Research Systems, of beneficiary countries. Phase II aims at improving the livelihoods of farmers in salinity affected environments by developing high yielding, salt-tolerant sorghum and pearl millet.

Also, a US$300,000 grant will co-finance a South-South Global Assets and Technology Exchange System (GATE), a program created by the United Nations Development Program, South-South Unit. The initiative aims at providing a sustainable South-South transaction platform that facilitates the transparent exchange of technology, assets, services and financial resources.

The fifth grant of US$300,000 will support a project developed by the Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture to rehabilitate the Tam Bardoute irrigation scheme in Guelmim, Morocco. The scheme will help increase agricultural production and boost farmers’ incomes. At least 1,900 families are expected to benefit from the initiative.

Since its inception, OFID has provided more than US$405 million in grant support, including funding for technical assistance, research, HIV/AIDS, Palestine, emergency assistance and food aid. HIV/AIDS, Palestine, research, emergency assistance and food aid.