AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT OPENS 2ND ROUND OF APPLICATIONS FOR BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS PLATFORM
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop MP recently announced the opening of the second round of the Business Partnerships Platform (BPP). The BPP is a flagship initiative in the Australian Government’s agenda to partner with the private sector to help deliver Australia’s aid program . The Australian Government’s aid program works to solve complex development challenges in frontier and emerging markets in our region, promoting Australia’s interests by contributing to sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction across the priority sectors. Total investment program for 2016-2017 in the Philippines is at PHP2.78 billion (AUD$81.9 million).
In Round 1 of the Business Partnerships Platform launched in 2015, 10 partnerships in seven countries were selected to support development work the Australian Government is undertaking. The Australian Government invested $3.8 million in the partnerships, while the private sector infused AUD$10.2million funding for projects that will address issues including child malnutrition, women’s health care, mobile banking, and off-grid energy solutions for unconnected communities.
The Australian Government is calling for BPP project proposals from the private sector that will address development challenges in the Philippines and in the region. Priority areas for the Philippines in Round 2 are Gender Equality/Women's Economic Empowerment; Micro and Small Enterprise Development, Trade Development; and Technical & Vocational Training.
Interested Australian, international and global businesses, NGOs and other organisations are encouraged to apply to the second round until Friday, 7 October 2016.
For more information, visit: www.dfat.gov.au/bpp