CHANGES ON THE CBI’S COUNTRY LIST...

September 17, 2009

The consequence of adapted Dutch development strategies is that the CBI’s assistance is to be phased out in 17 countries; three fragile states and two least developed countries will be added to the list.

The CBI currently operates in 47 developing countries around the globe. In many cases, the results of cooperation and their access to world markets have been quite stunning. Lately the Dutch Minister for Development cooperation has shifted focus towards the least developed countries and fragile states in the world. This also applies to the working field of the private sector instruments. By streamlining the different country lists, the Minister wants to achieve more synergy and coherence between these instruments, one of which is the CBI. This policy shift has led to the present adaptation of the country list.  

Not all of the present CBI countries belong to the so called partner countries for the present Dutch development cooperation. These countries too are in urgent need of international assistance. This notably refers to the so called fragile states, emerging from a troublesome (and sometimes war related) past, which are core to the present Dutch development strategy.

Since the CBI has argued that many cooperation programmes are still under way or have even just been started, the ministry has granted transitional periods for phasing out the present assistance to prevent the loss of efforts and capital. This applies to both the programmes for Business Support Organisations and the individual company assistance through Export Coaching programmes.

A four year’s transition period has been agreed upon. This means that:
- Current programmes and commitments will be carried out as planned and agreed. New Export Coaching Programmes and Business Support Organisation Programmes will not be admissible to these countries.
- Participation in training activities and workshops relevant to these countries will be possible until December 31, 2013. These activities and workshops will – as usual – be announced on the CBI’s website.
- The CBI market information and manuals service will be available to companies and organisations until December 31, 2013 through the CBI’s website www.cbi.eu/marketinfo
- Specific exit strategies will be discussed with the CBI’s counterparts in the countries concerned.

Countries on the CBI’s present country list which face phasing out of the CBI’s assistance during the next four years are:
 
• Albania
• Armenia
• Bosnia-Herzegovina
• Ecuador
• El Salvador
• Honduras
• India
• Jordan
• Macedonia
• Montenegro
• Morocco
• Peru
• The Philippines
• Serbia
• Sri Lanka
• Thailand
• Tunisia

Five countries to be added
Countries to be added to the CBI’s country list and thus open to all CBI services are:

- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Jemen
- Mongolia
- Sudan
- Palestinian Territories

With regard to these countries, the CBI is currently working on adapted interventions, since many circumstances are different and new strategies apply.