Angola

Sustainable Land Management Project granted US$ 1.2 million

Huambo, 4 April, 2009 - The Sustainable Land Management Project has been granted US$ 1.2 million to start with from the $ 2 million overall budget foreseen.

The funding of (US$350.000 by the government, US$750.000 by the Global Environmental Fund, and US$400.000 by UNDP) was confirmed at the inception workshop (first meeting) of the said Project Supervision Committee, held from April 3-4 in the Huambo Province, whilst, US$ 300.000 was the payment limit established for this year.

On the occasion, the government pledged an additional contribution to the project in terms of (equipped facilities, as well as water, power and communications services).

It should be recalled that the Sustainable Lands Management Project was initially negotiated and developed with the then Ministry for Urbanization and Environment, at the central level and that it formally started for a two-quarter period in September of 2008, focusing on the formation of the working team and its installation, the accomplishment of a pre-inception workshop and most recently, prepared for the Huambo inception workshop.

Meanwhile, five studies are being prepared by the Project, two of which already launched for public bid, namely (1) study of the different initiatives in the domain of Lands management and (2) study of the legislation regarding the Land management. The three other studies consist of Training on the Administration of Lands, Training on Gender and Land management, and Regional study on the use of firewood as fuel.

The next meeting is scheduled for June 16, in Huambo.