The overall purpose of institutional cooperation is to put public institutions at the centre of the development process in order to reconcile collective and individual interests. This form of cooperation mainly concerns the central and decentralised institutions of a State, but also calls on civil society, via associations and non-governmental organisations that facilitate relations between citizens and public administration.

Our geographical priorities are as follows:
 the countries in the French government’s Priority Solidarity Zone (ZSP);
 future countries of the enlarged European Union;
 major emerging countries, such as China, India and Brazil.

I - RULE OF LAW AND PUBLIC FREEDOMS

Cooperation in support of the rule of law and public freedoms focuses primarily on State institutions, and the following institutions in particular:
 the justice system, in charge of passing judgement;
 the police, in charge of enforcing the law while preserving individual and collective freedoms;
 parliamentary assemblies;
 supreme jurisdictions, such as constitutional courts and public audit offices;
 other institutions such as the prison system, national human rights commissions, ombudsmen and the legal profession.

This cooperation also helps to defend and advance human rights, working with civil society (associations, NGOs, trade unions, etc.).

Action taken :
 Education: the aim is to train judges and police officers to work to the standards of a democratic State. The main training bodies used are the Ecole Nationale de la Magistrature (ENM) and the Service de Coopération Technique Internationale de Police (SCTIP) of the French national police;
 Aid to reform and revise the law: establishment of codes such as the civil, penal and criminal procedure codes, reform of statute law (legal guarantees of judges’ independence, laws against organised crime, etc.); translation of basic French legal statutes;
 Legal and technical documentation.

II - ADMINISTRATIVE COOPERATION

Since administrations have the task of executing government decisions and applying laws, they can only fulfil these missions if they are:
 legitimate and accountable with respect to their citizens;
 fair and equitable with respect to their own staff;
 effective and credible with respect to users.

Our action here concerns three main areas:
 an administrative organisation that guarantees the separation of powers, legal compliance and the execution of public policy;
 a civil service that employs loyal, competent and mobile staff;
 the use of the latest information and communication technologies to improve relations with users.

Action taken :

French expertise in this field is available in a number of forms:
 administrative advice and technical know-how, particularly for the organisation of central and territorial administration, governance, devolution, regulation, delegated management and legal compliance;
 support projects for national State reform programmes.

III - LOCAL AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Our action on local and urban development comprises three themes:
 support decentralisation processes and strengthen local authorities;
 encourage sustainable urban development;
 implement a regional infrastructure policy.

The action taken consists mainly of bilateral support projects for decentralisation, sustainable urban development and regional policy.

Technical assistance is provided for national associations of local elected officials on such technical matters as managing local finances, sanitation in urban areas, transport and forms of local governance, particularly in relations with constituents. In Africa we support the Municipal Development Partnership (MDP).

PDF Version - (PDF, 995.2 ko)

 Current FSP projects at 31 december 2002 (PDF 129 Ko)
 Technical assistants by sector of activity and country at 31 october 2002 (PDF 436 Ko)