Yangon, December 6th 2012. The French Development Agency (AFD) signed a Memorandum of Agreement with UNOPS to formalize its participation in LIFT (Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund). With a contribution of €1 million AFD engages its first operation in Myanmar towards rural development.
In March 2012 AFD has been authorized by the French Government to operate in Myanmar. After a first scoping mission, three key sectors have been identified as priority areas of intervention: agriculture, health, and water.
With a presence in Myanmar since 2009, LIFT aims at increasing food availability and incomes of two million rural poor in the country. By the end of June 2012, 56 projects countrywide had received funding from LIFT (22 projects initiated to help communities recover from the devastation of cyclone Nargis in the Delta and 34 on-going projects). LIFT has cumulatively assisted an estimated 300,000 households that include 11,700 woman-headed households. In the civil society sector, over 4,600 community-based groups have been established or strengthened, with members trained in management, livelihoods, and vocational skills.
Being member of the LIFT represents thus for AFD a good opportunity to be involved quickly with experienced partners in the agriculture sector and to put its specific regional expertise (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam) to good avail.
In parallel AFD is finalizing a regional project toward the health sector to be granted by the end of the year and is preparing a new project in the rural sector to be funded next year.
Please contact Julia DE PIERREPONT, depierrepontj@afd.fr for more information about French Development Agency.
Please contact Yasmin Padamsee, yasminp@unops.org or Ne Lynn Aung nea@unops.org for more information LIFT Fund.
ABOUT
The French Development Agency (AFD) is a development finance institution established in 1941, wholly owned by the French State, which finances development according to France’s Overseas Development Assistance policies. AFD’s activities are aimed at reducing poverty and inequalities, promoting sustainable economic growth, and protecting “Global Public Goods” for the benefit of humanity.
AFD Group provides funding and assistance for development projects in more than 90 countries, improving living conditions, supporting economic growth, protecting the environment, and helping fragile countries and those emerging from crisis. In 2011 AFD authorized nearly €7 billion of project funding making it one of the world’s largest finance institutions.
The Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund (LIFT) is a multi-donor fund launched in March 2009 in the aftermath of cyclone Nargis that devastated Myanmar in 2008. The donors to LIFT are now Australia, Denmark, the European Union, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States of America. The donors contracted United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) as the Fund Manager to administer the funds and provide monitoring and oversight for LIFT.
LIFT’s vision is to be an effective mechanism for channelling aid to partners to achieve its goal of improving the food and livelihood security of the poor and vulnerable in Myanmar.
