At its nineteenth session, the Poverty Reduction Committee discussed the report on the implementation of the ‘Assistance to Flooded Areas’ project.

At the start of the session, Zarko Sundric, of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Implementation Team of the Government of the Republic of Serbia told the Committee about the Team’s, the Government’s, and Ministries’ activities aimed at preparing and implementing the Poverty Reduction Strategy.

United Nations Development Programme officials informed the Committee of actions taken to assist municipalities hit by flooding in the spring of 2005; UNDP is helping to provide support for engaging local experts and securing donations for project proposals in flood-stricken municipalities. The projects, in addition to meeting the municipalities’ development needs, should also be an operational expression of the Poverty Reduction Strategy and its recommendations for the local level.

Local officials had submitted 26 project ideas, of which 12 were sent back for revision, 14 were rejected, while the remainder were accepted. Basic criteria in assessing projects were: each municipality would be given the opportunity to develop not more than two project proposals; project value should not exceed a sum of 100,000 euros; projects should be proposed by local authorities, citizens’ associations, or public or non-profit sector partnerships; project activities should contribute as directly as possible to the reduction of poverty, and foster economic growth and employment; projects should be implemented over a period not longer than one year, and should be an operational expression of the Poverty Reduction Strategy and recommendations for its implementation at the local level; finally, projects should be presented in a suggested format, and developed on the basis of guidelines provided.