Northern Ireland is to receive an extra €144 million in European peace money, it was announced today.
The latest cash injection will go towards projects set up to strengthen cross-community relationships in the North, including Border areas in the Republic.
Danuta Hubner, European Commissioner for regional policy, was in Belfast to confirm a two-year extension in funding.
She said: "In face of the current difficulties in the peace process, this decision demonstrates the continued solidarity and support of the European Union towards permanent peace in the region."
The EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (Peace II) scheme was set up to boost economic renewal and social integration areas worst hit by 30 years of violence.
The extension means a total of €852 million has been ploughed in since 2000, with support given to more than 5,300 projects.
The commissioner went to see two projects in the city that have used Peace II cash.
These were the Farset/Inishowen Initiative, which focuses on building skills in Protestant and loyalist communities suffering from high levels of conflict and polarisation, and
InterAction Belfast, an organisation dealing with deprivation and sectarian tensions on the Shankill, Falls and Springfield Roads.