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OPEC FUND AND IACD SIGN INITIAL GRANT AGREEMENT

  February 12, 2004

Vienna, Austria. February 12, 2004 - The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (OPEC) Director General for International Development, Suleiman Jasir Al-Herbish, this past Monday signed a US$100,000 grant agreement with Director of Development Programs of the Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development (IACD), Sheila Donovan.

Approved by the Fund’s Governing Board on December 2 last year, the grant will help finance an IACD initiative to introduce Information Communication Technology (ICT) to rural communities in Guatemala as a means of raising literacy, fostering the exchange of information and ultimately reducing poverty.

Guatemala’s rural poor, particularly those living in remote underserved areas, represent a significant percentage of the population. Educational and training opportunities are limited, leaving many without a chance to improve their situation. One viable solution is to make a wide array of information available through the use of such ICTs as the Internet, videos, fax, radio and other media, which can reach even the most isolated communities.

Guatemala’s Ministry of Education is already operating a successful Telesecondary Distance Education Program at some 400 schools. Under the present scheme, the IACD is collaborating with the Ministry to establish three pilot school-based Telecenters in rural Guatemala. They will serve as core models for a possible national program to offer ICT services to the general community as well.

During their meeting at OPEC headquarters, Mr. Al-Herbish and Ms. Donovan also discussed other possibilities for future collaboration, particularly with the private sector. Venezuela’s Ambassador to Austria, Gustavo Marquez Marin, was also on hand for the occasion.

Reference: IACD21204