The European Union and the Transparency International Nepal on Thursday signed an agreement to launch a support program to foster integrity in the post-earthquake reconstruction campaign.

Head of the Kathmandu-based EU Delegation, Ambassador Rensje Teerink and TI Nepal President Bharat Bahadur Thapa signed the agreement.

The Euro 1 million project will run for a period of five years to complement the rebuilding campaign with various accountability and transparency activities, the EU said in a statement today.

“This grant is part of a broader package of 105 million euro that the EU will provide to the government for reconstruction efforts,” the statement added.

“Building Back Better Nepal is an opportunity to foster accountability and social cohesion in the country,” the statement quoted Teerink as saying, “With this action launched today on the first anniversary of the second big quake, we underline the pivotal importance of the civil society in the process.”

According to a press release issued by European Union, Thapa also stressed that that disaster situations often exacerbate corruption; hence a more vigilant approach from civil society is crucial.

According to the EU, the project will be implemented at three key levels of the reconstruction process including policy level, implementation level and post-implementation level.