President Hoyer makes first official visit to Cotonou partner countries outside Europe

President Hoyer travelled last week to Pacific and Indian Ocean countries in his first official visit to partner countries outside of Europe. These island states, whose economies are amongst those most impacted by climate change, are some of the more remote signatories to the Cotonou agreement, the EU’s partnership agreement for economic development of the African, Caribbean and Pacific states.

In addition to the high-level Presidential and Ministerial meetings and discussions with representatives of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, Mr Hoyer announced a new funding initiative for SMEs in the Seychelles, to be supported by technical assistance for capacity building measures. Mr Hoyer,  accompanied by local officials and representatives of the local EU Delegations, also had the opportunity to witness first-hand some of the projects financed by the Bank in these countries, including a fibre optic submarine cable, a typhoon-resistant wind farm and a number of water and sanitation investments. President Hoyer also used the opportunity to visit the EIB regional office for the Pacific in Sydney.