The European Union (EU) has signed a National Indicative program deal with 16 African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries, which signifies the official start to EU aid programs there.
In a statement released by the EU from Brussels, Belgium stated: "The European Commission will grant, through the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) €29.1 billion over the next seven years for that purpose."
The deal also identifies the stipulations for relationship and joint work for the length of the pact. "For the European Union, it is essential that our programmes are drawn up in close cooperation with our partner countries, based on governments' own policies and strategies and reflecting their stated needs. This is how we ensure that programming documents really support national priorities where the EU can add value," the statement also said.
Participating African countries include Botswana, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome e Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Swaziland, and Tanzania.