International Development Cooperation Interdepartmental Committee

Resolution 1/2003

1. IDC IC agrees with and accepts the operating order of IC.

2. IC calls upon the line ministries to attach importance to international development cooperation activity, take measures for its management by the proper organisational unit and ensure their permanent representation in the Interdepartmental Expert Group.

3. IC agrees and accepts that, under the 2003 IDC program, the partner countries are the following developing countries grouped in the DAC ODA (Official Development Assistance) category.

a.) Strategic partner countries:
Serbia and Montenegro,
Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Vietnam,
Palestinian National Authority.

b.) Other partner countries:
Macedonia,
Moldavia,
China,
Mongolia,
Kirgyzstan,
Ukraine. (OA category).

c.) Least developed countries (LDCs):
Ethiopia,
Yemen,
Cambodia,
Laos.

d.) Under international commitment:
Afghanistan,
Iraq.

4. IC agrees to prioritise the following sectors and branches in 2003:

a.) transfer of knowledge / experience in political system changes;

b.) education,

c.) technical training,

d.) information technology,

e.) agriculture,

f.) health,

g.) infrastructure planning and

h.) environment protection.

5. IC agrees to establish a credit scheme on the basis of international practice, within the framework of the IDC strategy and policy and according to IDC principles. IC promotes the creation of such a credit practice only if it conforms to the IDC strategy and to international trends and where the beneficiary government guarantees repayment of the credit. A separate joint government proposal by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance and Economy shall be drafted on the execution of the relevant Act XLII of 1994.

6. IC understands that a contractual relationship will be established between partner countries, indicating the nature of each of the partners’ (donor country’s and recipient country’s) contribution to the implementation of development programs and projects, and the guarantees assumed by the same partners for the sustainable operation of the projects.

7. IC asks the Minister of Finance to comment on what debt repayment facilities could be initiated in the case of the least developed debtor countries.

8. IC agrees that IDC programs shall be executed with the widest possible social participation including civil organisations, technical interest organisations, public and private companies and in the spirit of transparency and accountability. The ministries shall comply with this approach when preparing their technical organisations for IDC initiatives.

9. IC agrees that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall ensure that the Foreign Affairs and Budget Committee of the Parliament are kept informed of IDC activities.

10. IC assists the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the elaboration of the Hungarian IDC communication strategy to gain social support, and MFA informs IC of the practical aspects of the communications strategy and specific activities undertaken.

11. IC agrees that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall elaborate the structure of IDC training in collaboration with the partner line ministries and inform IC of its decisions.

12. IC agrees that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall submit a proposal to the government on the strategic objectives of our development policy in the second half of 2003, reflecting the decisions made the EU Barcelona summit in 2002 which are applicable to all member countries.

13. IC entrusts the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the selection of the IDC delivery institution in pursuance of the public procurements act.

14. IC entrusts the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the development and operation of the measurement system for ODA statistics.

15. IC understands that the allocation of the annual IDC budget shall be regulated in a decree of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Budapest, 29 July 2003