Country Background. 1. With a coastline of about 1600 km, Sri Lanka consists mostly of flat-to-rolling coastal plains, with mountains in the south-central core. The maximum length of the island (from north to south) is 435 km while the maximum width (east to west) is 240 km. The highest point is 2,524 meters (8,281ft) above sea level. The country occupies a strategic position near the main sea trade corridors between Europe and Asia, a factor which allowed Colombo to develop very early as an international port city and then subsequently as a trans-shipment point for cargo originating or destined for the Indian sub-continent.
Country Background. 1. India is one of the world’s primary economies: the seventh-largest in the world by nominal gross domestic product and the third-largest by purchasing power parity.1 In recent years, India has experienced both high and inclusive economic growth. After bottoming at 5.1 percent in FY2012/13, the economy has been on a gradual cyclical recovery, attaining 7.3 percent growth in FY2014/15.2 The poverty headcount ratio has also steadily decreased. To sustain growth rate and quality, India needs to expand and consolidate its structural reforms, remove the infrastructure deficit, and improve the quality and coverage of basic social services.
Country Background. Ghana is a lower middle income country with an economy based on services (50% share of the GDP), agriculture (23%), composed of mainly crops such as cocoa as well as forestry activities, and the industrial sector (27%), representing mainly mining and construction activities and more recently oil and gas. The current strong increase in oil production, the development of the gas energy infrastructure and of the petrochemical industry give the potential to transform the economy, to develop the value added chain and to build a more diversified agro-industrial base. Crude oil output was negligible before 2010, but with the entry into operation of the Jubilee field in that year, production grew to 65,000 barrels per day in 2011 and to 160,000 in 2017. In parallel, production of natural gas has been growing as well in recent years. By the end of 2017, the installed grid electricity generation capacity in Ghana amounted to 4,399 MW (64% thermal, 36% hydro), and the total power generation was approximately 14,069 GWh (60% thermal, 40% hydro). The major hydropower generating stations are the 1 020 MW Akosombo and 160 MW Kpong hydropower plants on the Volta River. A third 400 XX Xxx Hydropower plant on the Black Volta was built in 2013. Thermal power plants are mainly supplied with natural gas and fuel oil. For 2018, the authorities expect a total demand of approximately 16,300 GWh, representing an increase of around 15% on 2017 values. Mid-term projections point to a demand of 19,486 GWh in 2019 and then a 7.1% increase up to 25,680 GWh in 2023. The majority of the additional capacity required to cope with this fast-growing demand will come from new thermal power plants (mostly combined-cycle power plants).
Country Background. The Republic of Albania has signed with EU an Agreement of Stabilisation and Association (ASA) in 2006 which has become effective since April 2009. In the meantime, Albania is a potential candidate country, status which was received in June 2014. The ASA has exposed Albania to access the second funding under EU Pre-accession Instrument such as Adriatic IPA Cross Boarder 2014 – 2020. Recent studies in Albania have indicated a moderate level of support to the EU integration process (over 85%), regardless the delay in receiving the status of EU candidate country. Nevertheless, it is estimated that the knowledge and understanding about what EU represents, principles it stands for, human rights and extension process, remains weak for the population at large. The interventions proposed by the present project, contribute significantly to the priorities of: Article 11, “Situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies”, of the UNCRPD: "States Parties shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection and safety of PwD in situations of risk”. It is already part of the European legislative frame as well of the national legislation of both countries which have already ratified it. The European Parliament’s resolution of 4 September 2007 on natural disasters: E.g., art. 19, which stresses the need “to take special care in cases of natural disasters of the specific needs of PwD in all action undertaken using the CV mechanisms”. The Verona Charter on the “Rescue of PwD in case of disasters” and the “Guidelines for Assisting PwD during Emergencies, Crises and Disasters of the European and Mediterranean Major Hazards Agreement (EUR-OPA). The Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) which requires the Union to combat discrimination based on disability when defining and implementing its policies and activities (Article 10). The European Commission’s COM (2005) 486 final, 13.10.2005, emphasises that PwD and their representatives should be involved in the planning, monitoring and evaluation of changes in policies, practices and programmes. The European Disability Strategy 2010-2020, based on the UNCRPD, aimed at the empowerment of PwD so that they can enjoy their full rights, and benefit fully from participating in society and in the European community. The EU’s Strategy EUROPE 2020 aimed to create smart, sustainable as well as inclusive growth. The EU’s Strategy for smart specialization utilizing innovative and fully accessible ICT applications. All national policie...
