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| >> Regional Overview >> Eurasia Regional Activities Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||
(text taken from the FY 2003 Congressional Budget Justification) The Development Challenge: Progress on democratic transition and economic restructuring in Eurasia is taking longer in comparison to Europe, bearing witness to the difficulties of implementing the fundamental changes required in this sub-region. Although each of the Eurasian countries is changing at its own pace, overall, key economic and political institutions are still being developed and corruption is widespread. In too many cases, these societies are polarized between a few wealthy beneficiaries of transition and a great number of people who have been unable to access the benefits of reform. At the same time, social services are woefully insufficient, adding to the burden of common citizens. The turmoil and pain resulting from incomplete reforms have discouraged citizens and led many to long for the certainty of the old Soviet days. Fundamental challenges in Eurasia include: a) rampant corruption; b) weak or non-existent legal infrastructure including inconsistent application of the rule of law; c) non-competitive industries; d) inefficient financial systems; e) lack of a stable environment for private investment and efficient market development in energy; and f) overextended and inefficient health systems and the impending epidemic of HIV/AIDS. In addition, the Eurasian economies remain relatively autarchic, with relatively few trade and investment ties to countries outside the region USAID's challenge is to stay the course with the Eurasian countries and encourage and support reformers at all levels of society. Our country strategies are tailored to meet the particular needs and foreign policy interests of the United States in a specific nation. Regional programs address cross-border issues and help to forge substantive linkages among the organizations and people of these nations as well as with reformers in the European transition countries. Regional programs help to break through the isolation many of the Eurasian countries continue to experience. THE USAID PROGRAM:
Estimated FY 2002 regional resources, and requested FY 2003 regional resources include both USAID-managed funds and transfers of $40.981 million and $38 million, respectively. USAID's regional budget is $18.2 million in FY 2002 and $18 million in FY 2003. Regional budget funds are used to fill gaps in bi-lateral programs, fund directives and special initiatives that country budgets cannot, implement cross-border or truly regional activities, and foster dissemination of lessons learned across the region. Regional funds are used to provide E&E specific technical assistance in energy, whose complex technical issues are closely intertwined with the politics of the region. The regional program also helps address problems that cross borders, such as health and environment. Activities under the economic restructuring area encompass those directed at anti-corruption, agro-industry competitiveness, micro-enterprise development, financial sector and fiscal reform, energy cooperation and trade, and environmental management. Activities under the democracy and governance rubric include those in civil society, the rule of law and judicial strengthening, and local government. Activities under social transition encompass efforts on conflict prevention, HIV/AIDS, humanitarian response, health promotion, health care access, infectious disease control, social sector assessment and program design services, and regional review of social safety net issues. Cross-cutting support will also be provided through participant training, information technology development, and program evaluation, assessment, and support. On-Going Programs for Which No FY 2002 or FY 2003 Funding is Requested: Instead of maintaining the regional privatization strategic objective, the remaining small activities on accounting reform and for corporate governance have been consolidated under the fiscal reform strategic objective.
Program Data Sheets
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