Press Release: Increasing aid effectiveness and predictability: Commission signs first MDG Contract with Zambia worth €225 million

The European Commission committed €225 million to the Government of Zambia for a 6 year period (2009-2014) to support the country's efforts to improve the efficiency of its poverty-focused public programmes and to accelerate progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). Zambia is the first country to sign this form of enhanced general budget support called 'MDG Contract' to highlight the contractual nature of this predictable, long-term financial commitment and its focus on MDG-related results, most notably in health and education.