USTDA Regional Brief - Europe and Eurasia

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) advances economic development and U.S. commercial interests in developing and middle-income countries. The agency funds various forms of technical assistance, early investment analysis, training, orientation visits and business workshops that support the development of a modern infrastructure and a fair and open trading environment. USTDA's strategic use of foreign assistance funds to support sound investment policy and decision-making in host countries creates an enabling environment for trade, investment and sustainable economic development. In carrying out its mission, USTDA gives emphasis to economic sectors that may benefit from U.S. exports of goods and services.

Since greatly expanding its program in Europe and Eurasia with the political changes in 1990, USTDA has provided funding of over $300 million for studies and other assistance on many major infrastructure projects in Europe and the countries of the former Soviet Union. Afghanistan, due to its ties to Central Asia, also falls within USTDA's Europe and Eurasia region.

USTDA assistance in the region is often focused on feasibility studies that help create long-term relationships between U.S. firms and their local counterparts that open the door to U.S exports. USTDA funding in support of such projects has two benefits: it reduces the level of investment risk American companies face in uncertain markets, and it provides reassurance to local partners that their projects are backed by active U.S. Government support.

In carrying out its Europe and Eurasia program, USTDA often coordinates with federal agencies such as the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank), which provides trade financing, and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), which provides insurance and financing for U.S. investments. USTDA also maintains close relations with the multilateral financing agencies including the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) as well as the various private and public sector investment funds that have been established to support projects in the region. In appropriate cases, USTDA also works closely with U.S. Government technical agencies, such as the FAA and the Department of Energy.

In addition to promoting U.S. commercial interests, USTDA activities in Europe and Eurasia serve to strengthen the economic reform process underway in the region by encouraging U.S. private sector partnerships with local entities. These partnerships in turn help provide the success stories needed to encourage the countries of the region to stay the course of reform.

Traditionally, most of the agency's activities in Europe and Eurasia have involved only a single country. More recently, in concert with other U.S. Government agencies, USTDA has recognized the importance of taking a broader approach to regional economic cooperation, in particular, looking at ways to link Central Asia with its neighbors to the south, including Afghanistan. The result is USTDA's South and Central Asia Regional Initiative, which is designed to assist the Central Asian states and Afghanistan in their economic development goals, while hastening their integration into the world economy. Several regional projects under this Initiative are now underway, and more are expected in the near future.

The following is an illustrative list of projects that USTDA has supported in Europe and Eurasia:

Afghanistan

American University of Afghanistan - USTDA provided $553,445 for a study on establishing a university with American-style curriculum, program and management. The Coordinating Council for International Universities of Arlington, VA, conducted the study. The University has opened and classes are now underway.

Albania

Port of Vlore - USTDA provided $526,600 for a study on an integrated infrastructure and economic development project at the Port of Vlore. TECicon of Annapolis, MD, conducted the study.

Azerbaijan

SSPF Pension Program Development - USTDA is providing $600,000 to partially fund technical assistance to analyze options, develop models and make recommendations on new pension programs for the State Social Protection Fund of Azerbaijan. Contractor selection is ongoing.

Bulgaria

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) - USTDA provided $199,866 for an Orientation Visit (OV) that brought senior Bulgarian ICT officials to the United States. U.S. companies, city governments and federal agencies showcased e-government and emergency management technologies and services. Koeppen, Elliott & Associates of Washington, DC, organized the OV.

Croatia

Meteorological and Hydrological Service Modernization - USTDA is providing $495,000 for a feasibility study to the help the Meteorological and Hydrological Service of the Republic of Croatia develop advanced monitoring and forecasting capabilities. Contractor selection is ongoing.

Georgia

Tourism Development and Investment Plan - USTDA provided $450,000 to partially fund technical assistance on the development of a strategy to maximize Georgia’s competitive advantages in the tourism sector. The America-Georgia Business Council of Washington, DC, provided the assistance.

Hungary

Geothermal Power Plant - USTDA provided $167,000 to MOL Hungarian Oil and Gas Company, Plc. to fund a feasibility study on the development of a new geothermal power plant. Burgess and Niple of Columbus, OH, conducted the study.

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan Underground Gas Storage - USTDA provided $640,000 to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to partially fund a feasibility study on the reconstruction of two underground gas storage facilities. BSI Industries, of Columbus, OH, conducted the study.

Kyrgyzstan

Datka-Kemin Transmission Line - USTDA is providing $537,595 for a feasibility study on the proposed Datka-Kemin Transmission Line project in Kyrgyzstan. Auriga Corporation of Milpitas, CA, is conducting the study.

Latvia

Integrated Master Port Security Plan - USTDA is providing $390,740 for technical assistance to conduct a comprehensive review of security at the Ports of Riga, Ventspils, and Liepaja. The selected contractor, Sullivan Cove Consultants of Baltimore, MD, will provide the Latvian Maritime Administration with an integrated master security plan.

Montenegro

Water Sector Revolving Investment Fund - USTDA is providing $463,950 for technical assistance in designing a revolving investment fund allowing Montenegrin water utilities to obtain necessary funds for operational maintenance and improvements. The International Association of Development Funds of Bethesda, MD, is providing the assistance.

Poland

Gdansk Integrated Emergency Management System (IEMS) - USTDA is providing $171,167 to the City of Gdansk for technical assistance upgrading its IEMS and redefining operational, infrastructure and local planning requirements in preparation for this. Winbourne & Costas, Inc. of Washington, DC, will provide the assistance.

Romania

Next Generation Network - USTDA is providing $700,000 to the Romanian Special Telecommunications Service for a feasibility study to develop a next generation network for use in emergency management and operations. Contractor selection is ongoing.

Russia

Krasnoyarsk Air Transport Hub - USTDA is providing $513,800 to partially fund technical assistance in planning the modernization and expansion of the Krasnoyarsk Airport into a multimodal transportation hub. Simat, Helliesen & Eichner of Cambridge, MA, is providing the assistance.

Serbia

Belgrade District Heating - USTDA is providing $757,245 to the Serbian Ministry of Energy and Mining for a feasibility study to assess the prospective development of an electricity and heat producing power plant that would alleviate electricity shortages and expand the heating system in Belgrade. Worley Parsons Group of Reading, PA, is conducting the study.

Turkey

Underground Natural Gas Storage - USTDA is providing $562,761 to Calik Enerji for a feasibility study on an underground natural gas storage facility in southern Turkey. Universal Ensco of Houston, TX, is conducting the study.

Turkmenistan

Oil and Gas Training - USTDA is providing $785,445 to familiarize Turkmen oil and gas sector officials with U.S. and international standards and best practices in legal and regulatory affairs in the sector, as well as production sharing agreements. Koeppen, Elliott & Associates of Washington, DC, is organizing the training.

Ukraine

Bila Tserkva Cargo Hub Airport - USTDA is providing $238,843 to partially fund a feasibility study on the proposed rehabilitation of the Bila Tserkva airport in Ukraine. Specifically, the study will examine the construction of cargo facilities to transform the airport into an air cargo hub. Solid Team, LLC of Claremont, CA, is conducting the study.

Regional

Cross-Border Trade Facilitation - USTDA is providing $549,070 for a technical assistance activity to develop a ‘single window’ entry system and pilot project for the customs administrations in Macedonia, Serbia, and Bulgaria. The study and pilot are being carried out by ICLogistics of St. Louis, MO.