Point of Contact:
Mark Phillips
International Cooperation Specialist
Tel: 202-712-0044
Email: mphillips@usaid.gov |
|
Overview
The primary goal of the U.S. is for Estonia to play a positive and stabilizing role in an integrated Europe and to participate fully in regional political, economic and security structures. The essential elements for meeting this objective are: the integration of prosperous and democratic Baltic member states into transatlantic institutions; development of civilian-controlled, European and transatlantic compatible defense forces; and, complete transition to an open market economy. The 1998 U.S.-Baltic Charter spells out the fundamentals of U.S. bilateral relationships in the Baltics and establishes institutional mechanisms to support sovereignty and free markets, promote respect for human rights and the rule of law, and strengthen security ties. Estonia joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) in 2004.
Between 1991 and 1996, USAID delivered $30 million to support Estonia in its transformation from a state-controlled economy under communist rule to a market-oriented democracy. Aid from the American people was targeted to re-establishing pluralistic democracy, promoting economic reform, and protecting the environment, primarily through the transfer of technical expertise by both long- and short-term advisors, training workshops and exchanges, limited capital development expenditures, and financing for equity and loan capital in support of private enterprise. Although the USAID Mission in Tallinn closed its doors in 1996, the legacy of USAID development assistance has endured.
Press Release - September 1996
Estonia Graduates from U.S. Foreign Assistance
The first nation of Central Europe and NIS to re-join the global
economy
The rapid progress that Estonia has made in re-establising its democratic institutions and
economic relations with the West makes it the first of the Central European countries to "graduate" from U.S. assistance. The United States renewed formal diplomatic relations
with Estonia, a small Baltic country located 50 miles south of Finland, in September 1991
after Estonia regained its independence, concluding almost 50 years of U.S. recognition
of the Estonian goverrunent-in-exile. Nearly all the goals of the U.S. assistance program
have been met and the relationship is maturing from that of donor-recipient to a
partnership of shared values, mutual security interests and increased trade and
investment.
Read the full Press Release - September 1996 (Adobe Acrobat PDF, 2.17mb)
Back to Top ^ |
