Roseau, Dominica – February 11, 2008……………………President of Dominica, His Excellency, Dr. Nicholas 
The President made the remarks on Monday on the occasion of the Presentation of Credentials by His Excellency, Valeriano Diaz, new Head of Delegation of the European Commission to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.
“I am very much aware of the significance of the cooperation between the European Union and the Commonwealth of Dominica, particularly in the context of the country’s banana and wider rural sector. I therefore wish to take the opportunity to ask Your Excellency to convey to the Commission of the European Communities, the appreciation and gratitude of the Government and people of Dominica for the developmental assistance that we have received and continue to receive from a number of instruments of the European Union, particularly after the passage of Hurricane Dean,”
President Liverpool stated.
In his remarks, Dominica’s Head of State welcomed the news that the strategy of cooperation of the European Union for the Commonwealth of Dominica for the next six years ” is about to be adopted, and that the European Union and the Caribbean countries have successfully concluded the negotiations on an Economic partnership Agreement”.
“I recognise the potential of the cooperation strategy and the Agreement as effective means of complementing the national growth effort,” Dr. Liverpool concluded.
Currently the European Commission is financing projects valued at over $200 million ECD in virtually every sector of the economy.
Programmes currently being financed by the European Commission in Dominica include the Waitukubuli National Trail, the Air Access Improvement Programme, the Social Investment Fund, the Agricultural Diversification Programme, economic growth and private sector development, general budget support, among other development initiatives. (Ends)
