About Us

Mission

"To bring maximum benefits/satisfaction to stakeholders* through the use of EU resources."
*Stakeholders – Dominican people, Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica, European Union, National Authorising Officer Staff

Vision

"To be the premier NAO Office in the Caribbean for mobilisation and management of EU resources in support of national development goals"

Staffing

The NAO Office consists of the following:

  • National Authorising Officer
  • Programme Officer
  • Programme Officer/Engineer
  • 2 Programme Assistants
  • Executive Secretary
  • Office Attendant
The National Authorizing Officer
Ms. Carleen Roberts
National Authorising Officer (NAO)

The dedicated office of the National Authorising Officer (NAO) for the European Development Fund (EDF) in the Commonwealth of Dominica was established in October 2000, with Technical/Programming and Administrative staff.

The overall objective of the NAO's office is to ensure the effective and efficient implementation of programmes funded by the European Union (EU). This is especially critical in light of the Post Lomé 'Cotonou Agreement', the recipient state must ensure funds are effectively committed, disbursed and implemented at the risk of losing allocations to other more 'efficient' ACP countries.

The position of National Authorising Officer (NAO) is outlined in Article 35, Chapter 6 "Management and Executing Agencies", Annex IV Implementation and Management Procedures of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement between the European Union (EU) and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States.

The Article provides for the appointment by each ACP State of an NAO Officer to represent it in all operations financed by the resources of the European Development Fund (EDF), managed by the European Commission (EC).

The NAO of the Commonwealth of Dominica is Miss Marjorie Carleen Roberts. The NAO is the official signatory to all operations financed from the Fund resources managed by the Commission and the Bank instruments available to the Government of Dominica and is by implication legally responsible for overseeing all cooperation agreements and projects that arise from these instruments.

The NAO in close cooperation with the Head of Delegation, Delegation of the European Union to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, is responsible for:

  • The preparation, submission and appraisal of project dossiers
  • Preparation and appraisal of tender dossiers
  • Award and signature of contracts and riders thereto
  • Approval of expenditure and initiation of payment orders
  • Making technical and economic adjustments necessary for ensuring the proper execution of projects.
  • Monitoring and evaluation of projects

Support Services

The European Development Fund (EDF) provides development assistance to the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP). Its objective is to promote the economic, cultural and social development of the ACP states, with a view to contributing to peace and security and to promoting a stable and democratic political environment.

The partnership is centered on the objective of eradicating poverty consistent with the objectives of sustainable development and the gradual integration of the ACP countries into the world economy. The objectives have been confirmed and reinforced in Article 1 of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement, signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000, revised in Luxembourg on 25 June 2005, and again revised on 11 March 2010, which put the main emphasis on the objective of reducing and eventually eradicating poverty.

Co-operation between the Community and Dominica shall pursue these objectives taking into account the fundamental principles laid down in Article 2 of the Agreement and essential and fundamental elements as defined in Article 9.

Office Activities include:

  • Technical support to Office of the NAO
  • Technical assistance and training through the Technical Cooperation Facility
  • Management of the 11th EDF:
    • A Envelope 
    • B Envelope State Building Contract 
    • B Envelope State and Resilience Building Contract Post Hurricane Maria