Europe and Eurasia
The USAID Europe and Eurasia strategy focuses
on three core areas: economic restructuring and growth, democracy
and governance, and the social dimensions of transition.
In addition, USAID develops
cross-sector approaches to address critical obstacles and
changing circumstances in the region. During 2003 – 2004,
these include: raising the profile of values inherent in
transition programs; systematically
addressing conflict and corruption in program analysis and
design; and further developing social sector initiatives
to broaden the benefits
of reform and thereby sustain public support for it. Read
More...
E&E in Action
 Dr.
Kent R Hill, USAID's Assistant Administrator for Europe
and Eurasia, on his vision for the region
Nearly 13 years ago, in one of the most stunning developments of the
twentieth century, the communist world of Eastern Europe and the former
Soviet Union dissolved into 27 separate independent countries. The vast
majority of its citizenry expressed a desire to move toward democratic
governance and free market economies. But the transition, even with international
donor assistance, has proved to be anything but easy.
Three essential elements of the Bureau for Europe and Eurasia’s
assistance to the former communist world include helping to establish
full democracies rooted in the rule of law, nurturing vibrant market
economies, and supporting the emergence of a responsive social net to
meet the needs of the people, especially those disadvantaged during difficult
times of transition. Read More ...
 Lakeland to Celebrate Shipment of Humanitarian Assistance to Moldova
As the holiday season draws to a close, Lakeland residents prepare to celebrate the culmination of a charity project that has been underway for the past year. On Saturday, Counterpart International will assist city organizers in loading a shipping container of humanitarian assistance bound for Belts, Moldova, one of Lakeland's Sister Cities. The container of medical equipment, office supplies, and furniture, valued at over $43,000, will be shipped and distributed by Counterpart International to Moldova through funding provided by the United States Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Read More...
 REACH
- Reach Every American Close to Home
The REACH program tells the American
public the story of USAID through field experiences of
its dedicated staff. Each staff person is invited to participate
by sharing their personal account of their work with USAID. Read
More...
 Thomas
Mefford Appointed New E&E Deputy
Thomas Fleetwood “Woody” Mefford was appointed Deputy Assistant
Administrator for Europe and Eurasia on August 25, 2003. Mefford most recently
served as Senior Advisor in the Bureau of International Information Programs
at the Department of
State, where he was involved in producing and marketing a
broad range of public diplomacy communications tools. Read
More...
 Replicability
and Sustainability in U.S.-Ukraine Partnerships
U.S.-Ukraine Foundation's Community Partnership Program
The E&E Deputy Assistant Administrator gave the keynote
luncheon address July 23 in St. Louis at the U.S.-Ukraine
Foundation's conference on Replicability and Sustainability
in U.S.-Ukraine Partnerships. The U.S.-Ukraine Foundation's
Community Partnership Program (CPP), funded by E&E since
1997, currently supports partnerships between 14 U.S. and
14 Ukrainian medium-sized cities and focuses on strengthening
local government and promoting citizens' participation at
the grassroots level. Read
More...
 Samed
Vurgun Community, Agjabedi, Azerbaijan:
Self-Reliance Built Through USAID Support
The past fifteen years have been a very challenging time
for the people of Azerbaijan. Located between Russia and
Iran in the heart of the Caucasus region, the country has
long been a crossroads of commerce and culture. Shortly after
gaining independence from the Soviet Union in October 1991,
Azerbaijan was soon drawn into a devastating three-year territorial
conflict with neighboring Armenia over Nagorno Garabagh,
a mountainous region in the west of the country. When hostilities
ceased in early 1994, Armenian forces occupied Nagorno-Karabagh
and a wide swath of surrounding area, accounting for nearly
20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory. Read
More ...
 Nations
in Transit 2003
Nations in Transit, an annual publication by Freedom House
and funded by USAID measuring progress and setbacks in
political transition in Central and Eastern Europe and the
former Soviet Union. This is the seventh edition of the report,
which continues to cover 27 countries (including all graduation
countries), and provides in-depth analysis of electoral processes;
civil society; independent media; governance; constitutional,
legislative and judicial framework; and corruption. Visit
the website ...
 The
Fourth Edition of “Meet the Missions” features
USAID’s Mission in Georgia
Assistant Administrator Kent Hill interviews Michael Farbman,
USAID Mission Director in the Caucasus Region. Their discussion
is focused on Georgia and examines the geopolitical significance
of this complex, multi-cultural, turbulent region that possesses
enormous oil and gas resources and, yet, still confronts
humanitarian assistance challenges involving millions of
internally displaced persons. With Russia on the northern
border and Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan on the south and
with Iraq and Iran nearby, it is crucial that Georgia accelerate
establishing a free market economy and a democratic, civil
society following more than 70 years as a republic in the
centrally-controlled Soviet Union. You are invited to watch
this candid assessment of the intriguing country of Georgia.
The interview
is 14 minutes. Watch
the Interview ...
 New Youth Web Initiative
We would like to share experiences from our youth-oriented programs
to build awareness of the challenges facing our region’s
young people and their efforts to build a better future. This
new youth web initiative is a resource to educate students
and teachers about our efforts and a tool to build dialogue
on the issues surrounding young people in the region. Read
More ...
 The
Third Edition of “Meet the Missions” features USAID’s
Mission in Romania
Assistant Administrator Kent Hill interviews Denny Robertson, the former
Director of the USAID mission in Romania. Together, they
discuss the violent overthrow of Nicolae Ceausescu’s reign of terror,
America’s
response to the child institutionalization crisis of the
early 1990s, the impending threat of a HIV/AIDS epidemic
in Romania, and Romania’s
potential as a solid partner and ally to U.S. interests.
USAID/Romania has targeted increasing civic participation,
improving access to quality
health care services, improving environmental conditions
in highly-polluted areas, and strengthening the private business
sector, among others, as
goals of U.S. assistance. The interview is 16 minutes. Watch
the Interview ...
 USAID Recognizes Lakeland, Florida Doctor for
International Volunteer Efforts
Dr. Gregory J. Spirakis received the U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID) Outstanding Citizenship Achievement Award in a ceremony
this evening in Lakeland, Florida. The award was presented
to Dr. Spirakis by Dr. Kent R. Hill, USAID Assistant Administrator
for Europe
and Eurasia. Read
More ...
 Microfinance Brings Hope to Ethnically-Diverse Regions
in Georgia
Brock Bierman, Chief of Staff for USAID’s Europe and Eurasia Bureau,
and Jim Watson, Caucasus Team Leader within USAID’s Europe and
Eurasia Bureau, joined residents of Akhaltsikhe, in the Republic
of Georgia on May 20 in marking a day of new opportunity.
On this day, a leading
indigenous microfinance institution, the Constanta Foundation,
opened the doors of its new branch office, offering shoemakers,
hairdressers, bakers, traders, and other managers of local
small businesses their first
real chance to take out loans to improve their businesses
and their livelihoods. Read More ...
USAID Announces New Roma Initiative in
Central and Eastern Europe
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced
a four-year, $2.7 million cooperative agreement with the international
organization Partners for Democratic Change to improve the conditions
of Roma, an indigenous displaced people, in the Czech Republic, Hungary
and Slovakia. This program is intended to increase Roma participation
in economic, political and social activities. Read More ...
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