Banque Mondiale : Bons points et bonnets d'ane...

Article du 23 juillet 2006 par MARIANNE MEUNIER - Magazine Jeune Afrique

Pour la première fois, l’institution rend public son classement annuel concernant les pays pauvres. Le palmarès réserve des surprises.

Ne pas prêter n’importe quoi à n’importe qui, telle pourrait être la maxime de la Banque mondiale. Chaque année, l’institution réalise un classement des 76 pays les plus pauvres du monde afin de déterminer la somme qui sera prêtée à chacun. Les plus démunis seront-ils les mieux dotés ? Non. Mais les plus disciplinés, oui. Lire la suite...

Fotos clausura diplomado

Alguna foto de la clausura del primer diplomado en bancos de sangre
del proyecto NIC/016 que se realizó en el POLISAL (Instituto Politécnico de
la salud) de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua (UNAN). La
clausura tuvo lugar el día sábado 03 de junio de 2006. Todos los alumnos, 25
en total, aprobaron el diplomado.
Este mes comenzaremos un segundo diplmado con otros 20 ó 25 alumnos.

Cordiales saludos,

José Luis Fernández Tonda
CTP Proyecto NIC/016

Louanges / Praise

Louanges royales à l’égard de Lux-Development

Notre Directeur général a été reçu, le 12 juillet, par leurs Altesses Royales, le Grand-Duc Henri et la Grande-Duchesse Maria Teresa, au Château de Colmar Berg.
Pendant une heure, Raymond Weber a pu leur présenter le travail de notre Agence, ainsi que l’état de nos réflexions sur les défis qui attendent Lux-Development dans les années qui viennent. Il leur a remis, par ailleurs, un jeu complet des brochures-pays de LD (les 10 pays cibles moins la Namibie) et le dépliant de présentation générale, ainsi que la bande dessinée et le jeu que LD a produits dans le cadre du projet NIG/012 (prévention contre le VIH/SIDA).
Leurs Altesses Royales ont tenu à féliciter Lux-Development pour l’excellent travail que fait l’Agence, notamment dans les dix pays cibles et à remercier tous les collaborateurs de LD pour leur engagement. Elles ont regretté que le travail de LD ne soit pas mieux connu, et donc mieux apprécié, dans l’opinion publique luxembourgeoise.
Leurs Altesses Royales ont souligné, par ailleurs, tout l’intérêt qu’elles attachent aux fondements éthiques de la coopération au développement, à la sensibilisation du public ici au Luxembourg et à l’implication des populations concernées dans les pays cibles, à la possibilité de discuter, entre tous les acteurs concernés, des enjeux de la coopération au développement, aux thèmes transversaux de la coopération luxembourgeoise, et notamment à l’environnement, au genre, au développement durable et à la dimension culturelle du développement.
La Grande-Duchesse a réaffirmé, aussi, l’intérêt profond qu’elle attache au micro-crédit, ainsi qu’à la dimension « gestion de conflits et paix ».
Enfin, le Grand-Duc a fait part de son souhait de se rendre en visite officielle au NIGER, en 2008.

Royal praise for Lux-Development

On July 12th, HRH Grand Duke Henri and HRH Grand Duchess Maria Teresa received our Managing Director, Mr. Raymond Weber, at their castle in Colmar-Berg in Luxembourg for an informal get-together.
During the conversation, which lasted for one hour, Mr. Weber had the chance to present our work and elaborate on the main challenges awaiting Lux-Development in the near future. The grand ducal couple received a complete set of country brochures as well as our new LD presentation brochure together with a comic and a board game developed in the framework of a HIV/AIDS prevention project in Niger (NIG/012).
The Royal couple complimented Lux-Development for their excellent work, especially in our 10 target countries, and expressed their gratitude towards everybody at Lux-Development for their commitment. They regretted the fact that LD was not better known and thus better appreciated by the Luxembourg public.
Her Royal Highnesses underlined, amongst other things, their sustained interest in the ethical foundations of development cooperation, the sensitisation of the general public in Luxembourg as well as the implication of the local beneficiary population in the target countries and all concerned stakeholders towards a discussion on the current development issues and their effects on the so-called transversal themes such as gender, sustainable development and the cultural dimensions of development work.
The Grand Duchess reaffirmed her particular interest for microfinance as well as the topic of “conflict resolution and peace” whereas Grand Duke Henri informed Mr. Weber about his intention to undertake an official visit to Niger some time in 2008.

Cambodians ride "bamboo railway"

Travellers in Cambodia have to deal with one of the world's worst train networks.

There is only one passenger service a week, and it often travels at not much more than walking pace. So people in the north west of the country, near Cambodia's second city of Battambang, have taken matters into their own hands.
Read more...

Article by Guy De Launey
BBC News, Phnom Penh

Nam Tuan Irrigation scheme

Nam Tuan Irrigation scheme - focalising on ownership

Nam Tuan irrigation project (VIE/019), situated in Cao Bang Province, in northern Vietnam and bordering China, was launched on 6 June 2006 by the People's Committee in the presence of Leo Faber, Counsellor at the Luxembourg Embassy and Geert De Bruycker, Regional Manager, Lux-Development with Vietnamese officials from national, provincial, district and commune level representing most of the stakeholders from different levels of governance as well as the beneficiaries.

Luxembourg has targeted Cao Bang province for development support since it is one of the poorest provinces in Vietnam with a population consisting for 95% of ethnic minority groups of Tay, Nung, Mong, Lo Lo and San Chi who mainly depend on agricultural production for their income.


The project approach takes into account the philosophy, clauses and recommendations of the Hanoi Core Statement, an agreement between the Government of Vietnam and the major donor agencies signed in June 2005, on Aid Effectiveness focalising on ownership, harmonisation and alignment. Key actors, and decision-makers in this project are the local institutions and farmers. The role of Lux-Development's support team is to facilitate the development process following a 'learning-by-doing' as well as a 'project-cycle' management approach.

The project has a three year life span and comprises three result areas:

• The rehabilitation of the Nam Tuan irrigation scheme, covering 785 hectares of farmland as well as the development of operation, maintenance and management capacity through a Participatory
• Irrigation Management (PIM) approach.
• Increased agricultural production and associated income-generating activities.
• Institutional strengthening of government staff, local authorities as well as farmers to develop and implement irrigation systems in the province.

The project also intends to improve the accessibility to household water and will support activities in the field of livestock development, aquaculture and the marketing of farm products. The improvement of the Nam Tuan irrigation scheme is expected to increase annual household incomes from an average 12 million VND (600 EUR) to 28 million VND (1 400 EUR) within five years. Responsibility for the implementation of this project rests with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Cao Bang province and its support units like the irrigation division, agriculture extension services and the department responsible for construction works. One of the key challenges in this project will be the organisational development for the irrigation management moving from a traditional government-led organisation to a farmer led organisation.