Based on the document, Lithuania will seek to meet its international obligation to allocate 0.33 percent of national income for the development of other countries by 2015 as provided for in the 2005 conclusions adopted by the European Council.
"At the moment, Lithuania's support for the development of other countries stands at 0.13 percent," Justinas Bakūnas, head of the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Development Cooperation Policy and Planning Division, told BNS on Monday.
In 2012, Lithuania's ministries and institutions spent 138 million litas (over EUR 39 million) on support for developing countries.
Afghanistan will remain one of the priorities. The document states that as the withdrawal of Lithuanian troops from Afghanistan has already started, the Baltic country's focus will now turn to smooth handover of power. Lithuania plans to provide support for the development of Afghanistan's economic and social system as well as strengthening of local authorities and non-governmental organizations. There are also plans to provide support for Afghan communities in order to step up their preparedness for natural disasters.
In the Eastern European region, Lithuania will pay special attention to Belarus, according to the document. There are plans to continue supporting civil initiatives, education on gender equality issues as well as independent media. The two countries will also continue cooperation on the preservation and promotion of common historic and cultural heritage.
Aleksandras Kudaba, head of the Foreign Ministry's Multilateral Cooperation Division, also told BNS that a lot of different projects are being implemented in Belarus. But due to the internal situation in the country, not all of them are public.
"The promotion of civil society and democracy are the most important goals for us but I cannot mention those projects," he told BNS.
In the Eastern European region, Lithuania will continue providing support for Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
