[{"bbox": [128, 152, 1145, 286], "category": "Text", "text": "among them, OCTs share similar characteristics, which represent particular challenges to ensure sustainable\ndevelopment and economic growth: geographical isolation resulting in high transportation costs, small size of\ntheir economy (in particular small size of the local market), high dependency on imports (including of energy\nsources) and sometimes on financial transfers, poor diversification of exports of goods and services, low\ncompetitiveness of the local industries and, limited national institutional capacity."}, {"bbox": [128, 286, 1145, 416], "category": "Text", "text": "In the context of globalization, efforts to enhance OCTs’ competitiveness and unlock the potential in the OCTs\nare necessary, in order to ensure that OCTs’ assets are capitalized upon for achieving sustainable growth,\nwhile taking into account the regional contexts and difficulties. Furthermore, strengthening the resilience of\nOCTs is essential in order to address the vulnerabilities of OCTs related to economic, environmental and\nnatural shocks."}, {"bbox": [128, 443, 1145, 521], "category": "Text", "text": "Ensuring the EU's partnership with the OCTs is known, understood and well perceived by both specialised\nand general public audiences will help to position the EU as a trusted and reliable partner for the individual\nOCTs."}, {"bbox": [128, 537, 385, 569], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.2 Problem Analysis"}, {"bbox": [128, 584, 1145, 718], "category": "Text", "text": "Having limited populations and resources, the OCTs suffer from limited administrative capacity. This may\nresult in difficulties in policy work and implementing cooperation programmes. As per article 74 of the\nDOAG, the Union shall contribute to the achievement of the association's overall objectives through the\nprovision of adequate financial resources and appropriate technical assistance aimed at strengthening the\nOCTs' capacities to formulate and implement strategic and regulatory frameworks."}, {"bbox": [128, 743, 1145, 798], "category": "Text", "text": "In parallel, each OCT has the primary responsibility for the formulation of strategies, priorities and\narrangements in order to ensure to the best extend possible the ownership principle embedded in the DOAG."}, {"bbox": [128, 823, 1145, 904], "category": "Text", "text": "In this spirit, the OCT Technical Cooperation Facility (TCF) aims to support the local administrations by\nproviding financial resources for capacity building by means of studies, technical assistance or evaluations, in\norder to ensure the ownership and sustainability of the programmes funded by the EU."}, {"bbox": [128, 928, 1145, 1142], "category": "Text", "text": "The activities will focus mainly on the areas of mutual interest, such as the economic diversification of OCTs’\neconomies; the promotion of green growth; the sustainable management of natural resources; the adaptation to\nand mitigation of impacts of climate change; the promotion of disaster risk reduction; the promotion of gender\nequality and inclusion; the promotion of research, innovation and scientific cooperation activities and the\npromotion of social, cultural and economic exchanges between the OCTs, their neighbours and other partners,\nenhanced public finance management frameworks, etc. As relevant, the TCF may also support strategic\ncommunication about the important EU-OCT partnership, support new initiatives such as the OCT youth\nnetwork and logistically facilitate major EU-OCT gatherings such as the annual Forum."}, {"bbox": [128, 1142, 1145, 1197], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### Identification of main stakeholders and corresponding institutional and/or organisational issues (mandates, potential roles, and capacities) to be covered by the Action:"}, {"bbox": [128, 1221, 1145, 1303], "category": "Text", "text": "In addition to the Commission services (and notably the services acting as Contracting Authority in the present proposal), the key stakeholders are the OCTs' governments, administrations and their EU-based representatives."}, {"bbox": [128, 1327, 1145, 1378], "category": "Text", "text": "As regards potential strategic communication and public diplomacy activities, the main audiences may\ninclude:"}, {"bbox": [128, 1380, 1145, 1434], "category": "Text", "text": "* Wider audiences, comprising ordinary citizens, especially in the 18-35 age bracket, who are not involved in policy, advocacy or international relations, and who may hardly be aware of the EU."}, {"bbox": [128, 1434, 1145, 1487], "category": "Text", "text": "* Political and opinion leaders and the wider diplomatic community which can be targeted through political communication, especially in the context of high level events and visits."}, {"bbox": [128, 1487, 1145, 1591], "category": "Text", "text": "* Key specialised audiences, made up of political and diplomatic counterparts, opinion leaders, activists and other multipliers who already have a stake in the sphere of policy, advocacy and international relations. These may also include civil society, youth and women's groups, students, and academia, media, cultural operators, businesses and other such fora and networks."}, {"bbox": [1037, 1680, 1145, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 4 of 10"}]