Press Release

 Grant agreements totaling US$5.6 million signed today at OFID headquarters

12/2008 May 5, 2008 Vienna, Austria
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The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) today welcomed high-level representatives of Morocco as well as six international institutions. They were at OFID to sign grant agreements with the Director-General, Mr. Suleiman J. Al-Herbish, totaling US$5.6 million.

The visitors were welcomed by Mr. Al-Herbish, who spoke of the long-standing cooperation between OFID and the grant recipients. He said the organizations shared a common goal with OFID including a steadfast commitment towards eradicating poverty, promoting social equality and delivering assistance where it was needed the most. The Director-General said he looked forward to “many more years of successful collaboration.” The grants and their objectives are:

• UNODC will implement an OFID/UNODC Joint Program to Prevent HIV/AIDS through Treatnet Phase II, with US$3 million in equal contributions from OFID and UNODC. The amount will be drawn from OFID’s Special Grant Account for HIV/AIDS Operations;


• The WFP is receiving US$1.5 million to help address a critical fund gap caused by soaring food and fuel prices;


• ICBA is carrying out the second phase of a Development of Sorghum and Pearl Millet Productivity in Saline Lands project, with US$500,000 in OFID grant assistance;


• UNDP is implementing a South-South Global Assets and Technology Exchange System (GATES) project with a US$500,000 OFID grant;


• The Government of Morocco is pursuing a Tam Bardoute Perimeter Rehabilitation Project in Guelmim, Morocco in order to increase agricultural production and boost farmers’ incomes, with a US$300,000 grant.

The signatories were: H.E. Dr. Omar Zniber, Ambassador of Morocco in Vienna; Dr. Shawki Barghouti, Director General, International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA); and Mr. Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Others were Mr. John M. Powell, Deputy Executive Director, World Food Program (WFP); and Mr. John O. Kakonge, Deputy Director, UNDP Special Unit for South-South Cooperation.

As part of OFID’s sponsorship of the Vienna City Marathon 2008, two grant agreements totaling $US100,000 were also signed today between Mr. Al-Herbish and Dr. Heidi Burkhart, Hilfswerk Austria and Mag. Ulrike Schelander, CARE Austria. The two NGOs received US$50,000 each.