On 31 March and 1 April 2008, a delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implementing agency EVD of the Netherlands visited Macedonia in order to introduce the Dutch MATRA Programme to the Macedonian authorities, civil society representatives and other relevant institutions. The MATRA programme is open for Macedonia as of 1 January 2008.

The presentation for the authorities was organised by the Secretariat for European Affairs (SEA). SEA will be the National Aid Coordinator (NAC) for the MATRA Programme in Macedonia. The presentation was well received by officials from a number of Macedonian line ministries:
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
- Ministry of Interior
- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy
- Ministry of Justice
- Ministry of Finance
- Ministry of Environment.
Officials from several other government agencies including the Public Revenue Office, State Authority for Geodetic Works and Customs Office also attended the presentation. Following the MATRA Programme presentation representatives from the Macedonian authorities requested information with regard to the practical implementation of the programme. A Memorandum of Understanding for the MATRA Programme is expected to be signed between the Dutch and the Macedonian Government in the coming months.

The presentation of Bert Meijerman and Ms Gerry Geuns from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the Matra programme for civil society was highly appreciated by the representatives of over 40 Macedonian NGOs that attended the presentation on 1 April 2008 in Hotel Holiday Inn. Please click HERE to view the presentation.

As of 1 January 2008, Macedonia has become elegible for funding under the Dutch Matra programme. Projects financed under this programme are designed to help strengthen institutions and build the capacity of central government, local authorities and, above all, civil society organisations. They also seek to improve interaction between national and local government and civil society, and to encourage consensus on measures to strengthen democracy and the rule of law. Matra is based on the philosophy of institution-building by developing and strengthening twinning networks between the Netherlands and the Matra target countries and encourages 'matchmaking' between Dutch organisations and like-minded 'agents of transformation'(see  http://www.minbuza.nl/en/europeancooperation/subsidies,The-Matra-Programme.html for more info). Click here to download the presentation given by the delegation from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.