THE HAGUE, 09/11/06 - Development Cooperation Minister Agnes van Ardenne plans to expand her Emerging Markets Partnership Programme (PSOM) from 42 to at least 57 countries. She will give more details next month.

"The country list is most likely to be expanded substantially with the addition of emerging markets such as Morocco, Malawi, Namibia, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Madagascar, Burundi, Nepal, Honduras, El Salvador, Brazil and Ecuador. Opening up for these countries is however dependent on the date on which the agreement with the country necessary for this is signed," reported the foreign ministry. Bulgaria and Rumania will disappear from the PSOM country list due to their accession to the EU.

PSOM supports Dutch companies in pilot investments in a large number of emerging markets in Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. In these investment projects, Dutch and local companies from these markets work closely together.

PSOM opens a tender twice a year and invites companies to put forward project proposals. On 6 December, the Agency for International Business and Cooperation (EVD) is organising an information meeting in The Hague where the conditions for the first PSOM tender in 2007 will be explained. The deadline for handing in proposals is 28 February 2007.