USAID Impact Photo Credit: Nancy Leahy/USAID

Archives for Europe and Eurasia

USAID Promotes Good Farming Practices in Azerbaijan

Posted by  on Tuesday, February 12th 2013     

Azerbaijan is proud of its exotic fruits, and the pomegranate is definitely one of them. Pomegranate production has strategic importance for domestic trade and exports.

Azerbaijan’s Pomegranate Festival is a great way for growers to learn new techniques, showcase their products, and build sales networks. Since 2006 it has been a popular autumn festival held in November in the Goychay region of Azerbaijan.

This year, USAID’s Azerbaijan Competitiveness and Trade (ACT) Project set up its own stand at the Festival to provide information about ACT project activities and achievements in the pomegranate sector. The Project’s stand offered training materials on 25 agriculture topics and displayed 100 kgs. of the seven different varieties of pomegranates produced by the farmers who received USAID assistance. Training materials were particularly in demand by Festival attendees. The Project distributed over 2,000 pamphlets and booklets.

A local TV channel interviews USAID’s pomegranate expert at the USAID stand during the annual Pomegranate Festival in Goychay. Photo credit: Anar Azimzade/ACT

For the last couple of years, USAID has been supporting pomegranate farmers and processors with technical assistance and training. The ACT Project has provided training on good agricultural practices to approximately 2,250 farmers who have subsequently rehabilitated about 200 hectares of pomegranate orchards in the Kurdemir, Goychay and Sabirabad regions. This support has resulted in a 33% increase in productivity, a 28% increase in overall production and a 21% increase in farmer profit in the three regions. Azerbaijan’s pomegranates do not compete with U.S. agriculture.

National and local media covering the Festival expressed strong interest in the ACT Project. ELTV, a local TV channel, interviewed the experts, guests and exhibitors for a TV program dedicated specifically to the development of the pomegranate sector in Azerbaijan.

Two farmers from the Goychay region praised the Project’s technical assistance and training in an interview with ELTV. They expressed their gratitude to USAID and proudly displayed high-quality pomegranates at the Festival as fruits of this cooperation.

Empowering Women – In Kosovo and Beyond

Posted by  on Monday, October 22nd 2012     

Assistant Administrator Paige Alexander, Senior Coordinator Carla Koppell, Mission Director Maureen Shauket, and U.S. Ambassador Tracey Ann Jacobson meet with Secretary Madeleine Albright, President Atifete Jahjaga, and leaders from Kosovo at the opening of the International Women’s Summit. Photo NDI

Early this month, we had the great pleasure of participating in the International Women’s Summit – Partnership for Change: Empowering Women­ – hosted by President Atifete Jahjaga of Kosovo with support from USAID and assistance from the National Democratic Institute. The event brought together 200 prominent men and women from all sectors and from all around the globe to engage in a robust and inclusive dialogue about women’s economic empowerment, political participation, access to resources, and security.

The caliber, talent, and enthusiasm that the event attracted are a testament to the importance of gender equality and empowerment. The excitement to work together to tackle the issues on the table was palpable. Government officials, political leaders, business women, entrepreneurs, media representatives, and civil society actors representing a full spectrum of ethnicities, ages, and cultures came together to discuss concrete solutions and models from around the world to improve the standing of women and girls economically, politically, and socially.

We, with all of the participants, agreed to a set of Pristina Principles that set out clear actions to address barriers to the empowerment of women. Please join us in supporting these goals or sharing your own ideas on Facebook or Twitter (#KosovoWomensSummit or #PristinaPrinciples).

And so we, together with women and men from around the world, will work to ensure that all women have economic opportunity, the opportunity to participate in political decision-making, and access to justice and security.

Paige Alexander is the USAID Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia. Carla Koppell is the USAID Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality. Maureen A. Shauket is the USAID/Kosovo Mission Director.

Picture of the Week

Posted by  on Tuesday, June 19th 2012     

Closeup photo of a cow's nose. Photo credit: Jyldyz Niyazalieva, Kyrgyz Agro-Input Enterprise Development Project

Through the USAID-funded Kyrgyz Agro-Input Enterprise Development Project, production of biofertilizer out of organic waste was organized on a dairy farm in northern Kyrgyzstan. Natural biofertilizer, rich in biologically active substances and microelements, is derived in the process of anaerobic fermentation. This initiative helps to implement environmentally-friendly techniques and promotes organic farming in Kyrgyzstan.

From June 19-June 22, 2012, USAID joins delegations from around the world at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Rio de Janeiro, to mark the 20th anniversary of the historic Earth Summit.

Photo credit: Jyldyz Niyazalieva, Kyrgyz Agro-Input Enterprise Development Project

U.S. and Russia Explore Cooperation on the Global Fight against Malaria

Posted by  on Wednesday, April 25th 2012     

Last week, I travelled to Russia with Dr. Bernard Nahlen, the Deputy Coordinator of the President’s Malaria Initiative. We had very productive talks with the Russian Ministry of Health and Social Development and the Martinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology and Tropical Medicine. We discussed potential U.S. – Russian cooperation in the global fight against malaria. USAID has started to work with Russia to address global development challenges around the world. Last year, we agreed to work together to help eradicate polio. We are now exploring how we could cooperate to control malaria in Africa and the Asia Pacific to save children, improve maternal health, improve maternal health, reduce suffering, and promote economic development.

E & E Deputy Administrator Jonathan Hale, PMI Deputy Coordinator Dr. Bernard Nahlen, and USAID Russia Health Officer Bill Slater meet with Russian Ministry of Health and Martinovsky Institute for talks on U.S. – Russian malaria cooperation. Photo: USAID

Russia has long and deep experience with malaria. The disease was first reported in Russia in the 14th Century. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Russian and later Soviet scientists were involved in research that led to breakthroughs in malaria diagnostics and control efforts. The Martinovsky Institute was established in 1921 and after many years of effort malaria was eliminated from the former Soviet Union in the 1960’s. As in the U.S., the Soviet military and government continued research into fighting malaria in tropical areas around the world. Today, the Marinovsky Institute carries on this legacy. It even continues to train foreign doctors including some from Africa.

In talks with Russian officials, we discussed collaborating on training and capacity building, evaluation, operational research, advocacy and resource mobilization in support of national malaria control plans in third countries. We are exploring joint participation or co-leadership in international and national forums such as the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Roll Back Malaria Initiative and regional or global health meetings. The Russians are particularly interested in ending preventable child deaths from malaria and reducing the burden of malaria during pregnancy. The talks were fruitful and we should see progress on this cooperation very soon.

Our Continued Common Struggle – World Tuberculosis Day 2012

Posted by  on Friday, March 23rd 2012     

Last year on this blog, I wrote about why the United States and Eastern Europe and Eurasia need to work together to fight against multi-drug resistant (MDR) – tuberculosis (TB) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) –TB. In the world of modern travel, these diseases are a plane ride away from our shores.

As we commemorate World Tuberculosis Day this year, Eastern Europe and Eurasia continue to have the highest rates of MDR-TB and XDR- TB in the world.  Of the 27 countries with a high burden of M/XDR-TB, 10 are in the Europe/Eurasia region.  MDR-TB is a national security interest and a global health interest for the region and for the world.

Tuberculosis is largely curable but also potentially deadly. It exacts an enormous personal and economic toll, often striking people in their most economically productive years.  Diagnosis and treatment of MDR-TB and XDR-TB are more complicated and expensive.  MDR-TB for example requires 24 months of treatment vs. 6 months for drug-susceptible TB and the treatment is more than 260 times more expensive.  As a result, M/XDR-TB constitute major risks to effective TB control.

Europe and Eurasia are of particular concern because they have shown the world’s highest rates of MDR-TB.  A 2011 USAID-funded survey in Minsk, Belarus found the highest MDR-TB rates recorded to date.  Prior to that, one region in Russia and Baku, Azerbaijan had the highest recorded rates.

The picture of TB in the region is unique, fueled by inadequate diagnostics, poor compliance with treatment and insufficient infection control. The growth of HIV/AIDS further contributes to TB rates.  In addition, TB programs historically have been implemented in a silo fashion separate from the rest of the health care systems, and drug regimens have been improperly prescribed and/or incompletely followed by patients.

In response to alarming new rates of MDR-TB USAID, working in collaboration with national TB programs and the Global Fund, has invested strategically and targeted areas where it can have the highest impact: strengthening surveillance systems, improving the quality of data collection and monitoring, strengthening laboratories, improving infection control, strengthening treatment services,  bolstering drug management practices, and improving policies and protocols.

Read the rest of this entry »

Partnering with Russia and Kyrgyzstan to Help Disabled Children

Posted by  on Wednesday, December 28th 2011     

Disabled children perform a song at the wheelchair handover ceremony. Credit: Bektur Sakiev/U.S. Embassy

December 8 marked a big “wheels down” party in Bishkek. Three countries—the United States, Kyrgyzstan, and the Russian Federation—provided quality wheelchairs to dozens of disabled children, helping them to be more mobile and independent.

The wheelchair project was started by former Kyrgyz President Rosa Otunbayeva at a meeting with the Russian Envoy to the Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian and U.S. ambassadors in the summer of 2010.  The Frank Foundation Child Assistance International, an American non-governmental organization, received funding from USAID to procure 90 wheelchairs. Two Russian private companies, Polyus Gold and Russneft, provided funding for an additional 90 wheelchairs.  The Russian government covered costs for air shipment between New York, Moscow, and Bishkek, and the Kyrgyz government arranged free customs clearance and covered some transportation costs.  Special Envoy of the Russian Federation President to the Kyrgyz Republic Vladimir Rushailo played a leading role on the Russian side, leveraging private sector donations as well as organizing the shipment of the wheelchairs.

The day presented a unique opportunity to showcase U.S.-Russian cooperation in Kyrgyzstan.  Former Kyrgyz President Otunbayeva, Special Envoy Rushailo, and U.S. Ambassador Pamela Spratlen stood together to present the 180 wheelchairs to disabled children.  The Russian Ambassador, USAID/Russia Mission Director Charles North, and USAID/Kyrgyzstan representative Carey Gordon also participated.

“A lot of people think these two countries argue.  I would say that here in Kyrgyzstan a lot of things are done together by these two countries.  Look at this wheelchair project!  The two countries united and a good deed was done,” said President Otunbayeva.

Read the rest of this entry »

From the Field

Posted by  on Monday, December 12th 2011     

In Ukraine, we facilitated a meeting between one of Ukraine’s Federal District Court Judge’s Charles Breyer and U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Tefft.  This meeting was arranged at the Judge’s request, through the Fair, Accountable, Independent and Responsible Judiciary Program (FAIR).  The purpose of the FAIR Program is to support legislative, regulatory and institutional reform of judicial institutions in order to build a foundation for a more accountable and independent judiciary.

Also, under the FAIR program, USAID Ukraine held a conference on Strategic Planning for the Judiciary at which the Ambassador made remarks.  He emphasized that, “an independent and effective judiciary is critical to Ukraine’s continued economic development.”  The Ambassador’s remarks can be found here in full.

In Macedonia, to foster the development of the creative industries sector, we held an Artfest.  This activity is part of USAID’s Creative Businesses Project which works to create opportunities for long-term employment and increased income for creative micro and small enterprises.   The main beneficiaries are unemployed youth and women.

Public-Private Partnerships Week: New Cisco Alliance Kicks off Partnership Week

Posted by  on Monday, October 17th 2011     

On behalf of USAID, Assistant Administrator Paige Alexander, left, signs capstone agreement with Mikhail Pakhomov of CISCO, far right. USAID’s Russia Mission Director, Charles North, is in the center. Photo by Stefan Mizha, US Embassy, Moscow.

Last week was a busy one for me in Moscow. On Tuesday and Wednesday, I attended international forums dedicated to Millennium Development Goals 4, 5, and 6, speaking on a panel about HIV/AIDS.  On Wednesday I met with USAID/Russia program implementers and other stakeholders.  And on Thursday, I had the pleasure of addressing over a hundred people at Spaso House, the gorgeous residence of the U.S. Ambassador in Moscow, on the subject of USAID’s worldwide partnerships.

The event, a conference to celebrate eight years of USAID/Russia’s public-private partnerships, gathered together many of the private companies and NGOs which have partnered with USAID since 2003.  It was an opportunity for the partners to exchange ideas and experience, and a chance for me to hear first-hand about the important work they’ve done in areas like maternal and child health, youth entrepreneurship, and anti-money laundering.   And I was pleased to sign a capstone agreement with networking giant Cisco, a company with a shared interest in the social and economic development of Russia.  This memorandum of cooperation will support workforce development in the area of IT, and will advance the use of information communication technology (ICT) by civil society, the government, and the public.  Under the new agreement, joint projects could receive up to $50 million in funding and in-kind contributions (USAID’s investment will be leveraged 1 to 4).

This partnership builds on a strong history of public and private sector alliances in Russia and throughout the Europe and Eurasia region.  One of the Agency’s very first Global Development Alliances (GDAs) was in the Balkans and aimed to support civil society and government accountability as a root of long term stability.   With nearly 40 alliances over the past eight years, totaling $122 million at a ratio of about $5 for every $1 invested by USAID, USAID/Russia is truly an Agency leader in GDAs.

USAID has recognized the power of joining civil society and technology through projects across sectors like this interactive map where citizens can report elections abuses or Text4Baby which Dr. Jill Biden launched here earlier this year to improve maternal and child health by sharing information via SMS.  The agreement with Cisco will allow us to capitalize on widespread access to technology in Russia to improve lives and livelihoods of Russians, economic stability, and government transparency across Russia.

From the Field

Posted by  on Monday, September 26th 2011     

In Batticaloa, Sri Lanka we held a friendly cricket tournament between youth from the East and South  to mark International Peace Day.

In Jaffna, Sri Lanka we opened a collection center and distributed “freezer trucks” to farmers as part of USAID’s public-private alliances program.  This hand over of equipment, tools and grants will improve productivity and profitability of fruit and vegetable cultivation in the conflict-affected Northern Province. These partnerships will not only provide employment to young men and women in the conflict-affected districts but also offer training and social integration among members of diverse ethnic groups.

In Vavuniya, Sri Lanka under our Office of Transition Initiatives program, we will hand over a large truck  to recently resettled farmers in the North in a bid to enhance their marketing potential and to foster relations between the North and the South. Farmers will also receive water pumps and sprinklers on a credit basis.

In Iraq, as part of an ongoing effort to improve local governance and build local capacity, we held a competition for the best District Council website.  The websites will evaluated based on their content quality and quantity, layout/ organization, update frequency, and objectivity/reliability.

In Jordan, as part of our water resources management program, we began work at a new wastewater treatment plant.  Jordan is one of the ten most water-deprived countries in the world. The treatment plant will help improve the health and environmental conditions of the surrounding areas.

In the Ukraine, we will hold a 10th Anniversary celebration of Telekritika, a key media watchdog in Ukraine and a long-standing USAID partner. The celebration includes award ceremony to honor TV producers and TV journalists whose activities represent the highest ethical reporting standards to strengthening independent media in Ukraine.

Stopping the Spread of Polio in Central Asia

Posted by  on Wednesday, September 14th 2011     

When my daughter Caitlin cried getting her polio booster, I was able to staunch the flow of her tears by describing the amazing work USAID/Central Asian Republics did in Tajikistan last spring when USAID’s rapid response and advocacy with the host governments and other donors resulted in more than 7 million children getting vaccinated (that’s more than 95 percent of the under-five population).

Caitlin’s response to me was “I’d be happy to give my vaccine to the kids who need it. But what else can I do to help?”  Her innocent comments reflect the spirit of our team as we rolled up our sleeves and mobilized the Tajik Health Ministry and other donors to respond decisively with a series of national immunization campaigns that effectively stopped the spread of the outbreak in six months.

I was reminded of this victory last week when the European Regional Certification Commission for Poliomyelitis Eradication (RCC) announced that Europe will keep its polio-free status.  Last week, in Copenhagen, the RCC said that wild poliovirus transmission had been interrupted.  “No new cases of polio had been reported since September 2010 because countries took effective action.”  That statement is referencing Central Asian countries—for example, Tajikistan—which in 2010 saw its largest polio outbreak in decades.  There were 898 reported cases of acute flaccid paralysis in Central Asia in 2010.  Acute flaccid paralysis is the most common symptom of polio and is one indicator for polio surveillance during an outbreak.

A Tajik mother holds her son while he gets his polio vaccination. Photo Credit: USAID

The RCC acknowledged the contribution and technical support of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners and the Russian Federation, India, and USAID.  Not only did our work halt this devastating disease, but it also built the foundations of new U.S.-Russia bilateral cooperation on joint efforts to assist with strengthening health systems and surveillance in the region.

Polio has no cure, and only vaccination can prevent it.  But additional funding, coupled with technical assistance and strong advocacy, increases the ability to mount high-quality campaigns and sustain a population’s immunity, which is the best we can do until global eradication is achieved.  The Central Asian Republics have eradicated polio successfully in the past, and serve as an important lesson to stay vigilant and maintain a strong immunization program.

Page 1 of 5:1 2 3 4 »Last »