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Preparing with Welcomeurope an initiative in a pre-accession country

Mr Henri Guillaume Project leader for Lux-Development

1/Could you explain Lux-Development activities and your function within this agency?

Lux-Development is the Luxembourg agency for cooperation and development. It’s a limited company having as major shareholder the Luxembourg State (98%) which manages almost the total resources affected by the public aid government. The Agency operates in several countries in Europe (Balkans), Africa and Asia (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Cap Verde, Namibia, Laos, Vietnam, Nicaragua and El Salvador) and works especially on health, education, local development and vocational training sectors (i.e. water resources, micro finance and decentralisation). Finally, I am in charge of financial operations implementing European projects.

2/You took part to the Welcomeurope training session “Funds for pre-accession (IPA)”, what were your expectations about this training?



Lux-Development disposes of a huge budget (75 million euro in 2009) and is responsible for its effective financial management. Nevertheless, Lux Development pays attention to any other financing body, as the EU Commission, aiming at enhancing its bilateral activities in the key sectors. I participated to the Welcomeurope training in order to better know about the Pre Accession Instrument so that I could answer to new business opportunities.



3/This training took place on 11 and 12 May 2009; what are the new skills and knowledge you acquired?



I got mainly a better and detailed knowledge of the Pre Accession Instrument as a first step for any initiative. I also learnt what the key elements are for a good project from a financial and technical point of view. Besides this, the IPA training let me get in touch with other participants coming from Balkan countries who were looking for partnerships within the frame of a European call for proposals.



4/Having participated to the Welcomeurope training, what are the forecasted initiatives you are about to take?



All the information and means, provided by Welcomeurope through the training session and the newsletters, will allow me to better organise the identification of the opportunities as well as the technical and financial propositions submitted to EU Commission.