Norway will contribute with over 50 million NOK in total financial assistance to Macedonia in 2009. The overal objective of the Norwegian assistance is to promote peace, reconciliation, Rule of Law and democracy in Macedonia and in the region. The main purpose is to continue supporting processes related to regional stabilisation and Euro - Atlantic integration.
The stronger institutional links to the EU and the considerable increase in transfer of funds from the EU to the countries in the region, will also have an impact on Norwegian priorities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is aiming at increased geographical and thematic concentration of Norwegian assistance. At the same time, Norway will contribute to increased coordination of international assistance, i.e. through closer cooperation with EU and the Nordic countries.
Norway will contribute with over 50 million NOK in total assistance to Macedonia in 2009. A substantial part of the support is channelled through a bilateral co-operation programme with Macedonian authorities that was initiated in 2004. The bilateral programme is coordinated by the Secretariat for European Affairs (SEA) on the Macedonian side and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Oslo. The remaining assistance in administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Oslo, except for NOK 1,0 million which is set aside for the Norwegian Embassy in Skopje for small projects. Details about how to apply to small projects' programme are given on a separate web page.