Sida
Sida, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, is a government agency that reports to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Sida is responsible for most of Sweden’s contributions to international development cooperation.Sweden’s cooperation strategy for the MENA Region gives priority to the following areas of work: Democratic Governance and Human Rights, focusing on greater respect for human rights, especially women rights and freedom of expression which also covers new media and forms of communications; Sustainable use of regional water resources. While consideration for effects of climate change, participation, needs, and rights of vulnerable individuals and groups would pervade the work, support will focus on integrated water resources use and promoting transboundary cooperation, primarily in two sub-regions: the Jordan River Basin, and the Euphrates and Tigris. Trade and Regional Economic Integration and development of regional markets. Emphasis will be placed on capacity building, and the development of harmonised structures and regulatory frameworks in the trade sector, especially in international standardization, consumer protection and trade in food, to name a few. The strategy aims at strengthening exchange and networking between the countries in the MENA region as well as contacts between Sweden and the countries in the region. Some characteristics of the programme are: Supported interventions should take up a programmatic approach with a clear focus on regional or subregional cooperation, exchange, or networking among countries in the region, and not merely be multi-country interventions; Sida supported projects should have a strong ownership in the MENA Region; Supported interventions should target and have a focus on poverty (Sida recognises the multidimensional characteristics of poverty; and defines poverty not only in terms of lack of resources, but also to include lack of power and choice to have influence over ones own life). On-going projectsJordan is currently part of the following Sida supported regional cooperation initiatives (for year 2011):- Regional Water Cooperation: Red Sea – Dead Sea Water Conveyance Feasibility Study and Environmental; and Social Assessment (Worldbank) ‘Good Water Neighbours’ Project (FoEME: Friends of the Earth Middle East) International Training Programme (ITP) on Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation. (SIMHI: Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute) (ITP: 261 MENA) ITP on Regional Development in the Euphrates/Tigris Region (ITP 244 ET) ITP on Transboundary Water Resources Management (ITP 244 MENA) Regional study on Water Scarcity in the Middle East and ways of addressing this scarcity through regional cooperation (Strategic Foresight Group) Assessment of the Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources and Socio-economic vulnerability in the Arab Region 2010-2014 (UNESCWA) Support to two Technical Working Groups on ‘Management of Utilities’ and ‘Utilities’ Reform’ of the Arab Countries Water Utilities Association (ACWUA) Regional Water Governance Programme for Arab States (UNDP- RBAS)- Democratic Governance and Human Rights: Juvenile Justice in the MENA Region (PRI: Penal Reform International) Adolescents; Agents of Positive Change – Right to Participate. (UNICEF) Cultural cooperation – regional capacity and exchange programme for Independent Performing Arts (University College of Film, Radio, Theatre (Dramatiska Institutet). Regional Cooperation with Local Women’s Organisations. (Kvinna till Kvinna) ‘Arab Women’s Rights and the Media‘. Appropriate Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) Support to the MENA initiative Governance and Investment for Development. (OECD / UNDP Public Governance Programme) A Civil Society for Child Rights in the MENA Region. (Save the Children - Sweden) Advocacy role of Civil Society Organisations in Social and Economic Policy Making in the MENA region. (Diakonia / Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND)) Building Human Rights Knowledge and Resources in the MENA Region. (Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI)) Support to the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network in the MENA region. (EMHRN) Support to the Arab Human Development Report. (UN Population Fund) ITP (International Training Programmes) on Human Rights toward Gender Equality (ITP 271 MENA)- Regional Economic Development and Trade Capacity Programme Support for implementation of Agadir Agreement. (Swedish National Board of Trade) International Training Programme (ITP) on ‘Quality Infrastructure Development in Support of International Trade’ (ITP 276 MENA) ITP on ‘Quality infrastructure for Food Safety’ (ITP 229 MENA) ITP on ‘Negotiating Trade Agreements, Principles and Practices’, (The Swedish Board for Accreditation and Conformity Assessment (SWEDAC))