Portugal

The Portuguese Development Aid policy is co-ordinated and directed since February 2003 by the Portuguese Institute for Development Aid (IPAD), an autonomous agency in the framework of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This new Agency aims at promoting the economic, social and cultural development of the receiving countries, namely the Portuguese speaking African countries, as well as the improvement of life conditions of their populations.

IPAD has amidst its competencies:

• The monitoring and direction of the co-operation and aid policies.
  
• The financing of its own projects, including by channelling funds from the European Union and/or other Organisations in the field of aid and co-operation.
  
• Approval by IPAD of any co-operation or aid Programme proposed by any public Portuguese department is a binding pre-requisite for its implementation.
  
• IPAD represents the Portuguese Government in International Organisations dealing with matters of co-operation and development aid.
  
• IPAD centralises and co-ordinates information regarding assistance projects carried on by NGO’s or other non-government entities.
  
• Egypt is not listed in the group of countries beneficiary of Portugal’s current development aid Programmes.
  

Further information regarding Portuguese Assistance to Development is available at:
Instituto Português de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento
Av da Liberdade, 192 – 2º
1250-147 Lisboa
Phone 00 351 21 317 67 00
Fax 00 351 21 314 78 97
Site: www. ipad.mne.gov.pt
E-mail:cooperacao.portuguesa @ ipad.mne.gov.pt