ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES 
DE LA COMMISSION 
 
 
 
COLLECTION RELIEE DES 
DOCUMENTS "COM" 
 
 
 
 
COM (83) 679 
 
 
 
Vol. 1983/0 247 
  
 
Disclaimer  
Conformém ent au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003 
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents 
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit 
règlem ent. 
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the openi ng to the public of the historical archives of the European Econom ic 
Community and the European Atomic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
27.9.2003, p. 1), this f ile is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this 
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.  
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
Februar 198 3 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen  
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgem einschaft (ABI. L 43 vom  15.2.1983,  
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. Septem ber 2003  
(ABI. L 243 vom 27 .9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit  
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5  
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.  
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
CORRIGENDUM 
to C0MÎ83) 436 fin al  
of 29 July 1983COM(83) fc79 final
Biussels, 1® -Nût^ettiber 1983
COMMISSION REPORT TO THE ACP-EEC 
COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 
ON THE ADMIMSTSAIIGN OF FINANCIAL 
AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION IN '1982, 
UNDER THE LOME CONVENTION
COM(83) 679 final

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Financing granted to Swaziland is to provide rural inhabitants with 
water supply systems (using springs and boreholes) of varying degrees 
of complexity, the technology being geared to the physical constraints 
and capacities of the beneficiaries. This project, being carried out 
with the cooperation of the German bilateral aid authorities, has 
highlighted the problems of operation and maintenance and solutions have 
been proposed involving the local people in day-to-day operations and the 
technical and financial support of central and regional departments for 
more complex operations.
Another operation, in Zambia, is of particular interest in that it 
involves the inhabitants of townships, with populations of between 
3 000 and 16 000, and is one of the most effective ways of preventing 
rural depopulation. These townships offer the local people, who are 
engaged in rural activities, attractive enough facilities (health care, 
schools, water, electricity and other public utilities plus cinemas) 
to stop the drift to the capital.
It is worth noting in connection with these village water engineering 
operations that the "basic principles" which were jointly defined by 
the ACP arid EEC experts meeting in Bamako in November 1979 have 
helped the various government departments responsible for devising 
sectoral policies in their search for original solutions well adapted 
to each country’s social and economic situation.
In the urban environment, the project to improve the Georgetown 
sanitation system in Guyana is interesting in that the Community 
financing riot only meets an obvious and urgent need but also backs up 
the considerable effort being made by the local authorities to 
maintain a minimum service in a relatively densely populated urban 
area.

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CHAPTER IV:  The Horn of Africa
Djibouti had a relatively good year, but the main two countries of  
this region were faced with serious troubles in 1982.
These events worked against the development efforts of the governments 
of Ethiopia and Somalia at a time when concentration of all resources 
on that objective is essential if the situation is to improve. An 
added, and tragic, complication is the presence of refugees in the 
region.
Though there were fewer refugees in Somalia than in preceding years, 
there still remains on Somali soil a very large number of people who 
are dependent exclusively on international aid for their livelihood. 
Djibouti is affected by the same phenomenon, though to a lesser 
extent.
For its part, Ethiopia is trying gradually to bring back to normal 
the situation of people displaced by the wars in Eritrea and the 
Ogaden.
The UNHCR recently launched a series of schemes to help encourage 
refugees to return to their homes in Ethiopia.
The Community is making a financial contribution to this operation, 
which is essential if peace is to be restored to the region for good.
The EDF's action has run very smoothly in this region, which is one 
of those concerned by operations  planned as part of food strategy.
Other efforts are being made by the governments themselves.
Somalia in particular has embarked upon the reform of its finance 
system and is trying to revive its economy by encouraging the private 
sector - which has been disadvantaged in relation to the state sector 
in the past - to play a larger part.

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In Ethiopia, the government is pursuing its policy along the lines  
set out in the 1981-91 ten-year plan despite the serious difficulties  
encountered (drought and drop in the price of coffee, the main export  
product).

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CHAPTER V ;  East Africa
All the East African states (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, 
Uganda) have been adversely affected by a deterioration in the terms 
of trade, all of them having to import almost all their oil 
requirements and most of them dependent on similar export crops (tea, 
coffee, cotton, etc.) which have either undergone a drop in world 
prices, or are stagnant. Following dramatic expansion of investment 
in Sudan against the background of the oil crisis and the worsening 
terms of trade, the debt situation has deteriorated significantly, 
requiring almost annual rescheduling. Even a relatively prosperous 
country like Kenya is not free from this problem.
Rwanda and Burundi have, for historical reasons, more in common 
with Zaire, and their cooperation with East African countries is 
mainly to overcome their isolation and ensure an outlet to the 
Indian Ocean, through the so-called central and northern corridors. 
This cooperation, of course, is strongly supported by the front-line 
states in the interests of pan-Africanism and growing intra-African 
links, but the closure of the Tanzania-Kenya border is an important 
obstacle to this trend.

M b
It is clear that the world economic recession has not affected 
Tanzania or Uganda alone, as both Kenya and Sudan find themselves 
in considerable difficulties as regards their balance of payments and 
foreign exchange availability, but the effect is felt more directly 
in the poorer states.
Nevertheless, with better economic management, and taking into account 
the considerable productive potential in all the countries of the 
area, especially Sudan and Kenya, the East African region could 
overcome most of its difficulties. There is a serious population 
problem at present in only three of them (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda). ,

looked upon for too long as a cure for all evils. Generally speaking, the 
objectives of projects have to be viewed realistically from the outset.
It is one thing to produce on the drawing-board a complex and tempting 
project which is perfectly all right on paper, but it is quite a different
matter to put it into practice in the field. And it is another thing
altogether, no less difficult, to make it work for any length of time.
Hence, "developers" should learn a little modesty, which does not mean they 
should be bereft of ambition, quite the contrary.
The Court of Auditors, in its latest report, to which we have referred many 
times already, quotes examples of architectural design and buildings which 
are unsuitable for local conditions. It also quotes others which are 
perfectly suitable. So, it is obvious which path we must take (use of local
materials, etc.), even though that path may not be an easy one.
The results of evaluations are of great value, of course, for designing 
projects with presenting few difficulties regarding operation and maintenance. 
In the field qf village water engineering, for example, the "basic principles" 
worked out jointly by ACP and EEC experts at Bamako in 1979 are helping the 
different departments responsible for drafting sectoral policies to come up 
with original ideas that are well suited toeach country's social and economic 
envi ronment.  ,  ’  ■  ·  ·