Ukraine and USAID Celebrate 15 Years of Partnership

USAID will continue its support for improving the economic and social well-being of Ukrainians through democratic transformation, said U.S.  Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor and USAID/Ukraine Mission Director Earl Gast during a celebration to mark the 15th anniversary of USAID in Ukraine.  To honor the occasion, USAID held a presentation of its activities and a photo exhibition at Ukrainsky Dim (the Ukraine House Cultural and Trade Show Center) last week. The Ambassador noted that partnership and cooperation between USAID and Ukraine have had a major impact above and beyond what was presented in the project [information booths].  "I am convinced that the seeds of friendship and partnership that were planted in the process of implementing these projects and programs, will continue to grow, and bear fruit at least for the next 15 years", Taylor said.  He believes that today the democratic and economic reforms that both parties were involved in for the last 15 years are beginning to show their effectiveness and benefits. "In particular, - he said, "in the last two weeks the World Bank, which is a well-known international agency, recognized that recently Ukraine had seen increased incomes and prosperity for its citizens, and therefore moved it from the category of low-income countries to a higher bracket". In addition, the Ambassador noted that now Ukraine was beginning to provide more than military assistance to countries in other regions, and that it was one of the leading nations in this part of Europe, showing others a good example of democratic development. "That is why we, the United States and its Government, are proud of the cooperation that we have had for many years, and we can assure you that this partnership and cooperation will continue.  Both ourselves and, presumably, the EC nations will continue to monitor Ukraine’s progress, and the way it remains a leader in development of democratic processes as it does today", said Taylor. USAID Regional Mission Director Earl Gast reminded the audience that the cooperation between his Agency and Ukraine had begun in 1992, when Ukraine’s economy was in decline, inflation was rearing its head, social systems were collapsing, and employees and pensioners were not receiving their wages and pensions.  Gast said that as part of the first bilateral agreement on technical cooperation signed between Ukraine and USAID at the time, the parties had agreed to work together in three major areas: laying the foundation for a free market economy, establishing a democratic system of governance, and developing a social safety net.  Mr.  Gast went on to emphasize that today the cooperation continues in the three areas identified in 1992. "In these 15 years, we have formed a powerful partnership, and have achieved a superior level of cooperation.  I also believe that we have become good friends with many of our Ukrainian partners.  That is why many of those American business and NGO people, USAID employees, Peace Corps volunteers, and State Department officials who had once worked in Ukraine, always try to come back here again", the Regional Mission Director said. Mr.  Gast believes land titling to have been the most effective and important effort that was implemented in Ukraine with USAID’s support.  As part of the program, 5.8 million Ukrainians were issued their land titles within a relatively short time, and at a cost that is estimated to have been about 35 cents per title. In addition, USAID has played a major role in the development of Ukraine’s civil society.  As part of its projects and programs, the Agency supports the activities of thousands of NGOs operating in almost every region of Ukraine. According to Mr.  Gast, USAID monitors analytical reports and public opinion surveys in Ukraine and other post-Soviet countries, and all of these data indicate that Ukraine has the best developed civil society and free media in the former Soviet Union.  On the one hand, this civil society helps prevent the concentration of power in a few hands, while on the other it serves as a conduit for citizens to offer their ideas to the government.  In his opinion, in Ukraine today people can see a competition of ideas that occurs in a democratic fashion. Mr.  Gast doubts if USAID will stay in Ukraine for another 15 years.  "Considering the rate of social and economic development that Ukraine shows today, it may soon no longer need a USAID mission, and separate projects and programs", he said.  Mr.  Gast believes that the successful conclusion of these efforts can be expected when Ukraine integrates itself into the European community and EuroAtlantic systems, as it aspires to do today.  He noted as that this was conditional on Ukraine maintaining the right policies, implementing needed reforms, and remaining committed to its chosen course. Former Prime Minister Yury Yekhanurov thanked USAID and the U.S.  Government for "teaching thousands of Ukrainians to work as part of systems with which they were not familiar at all to begin with, to communicate with people, do consulting work and research".  According to Yekhanurov, a substantial number of Ukraine’s laws were drafted based on research supported by USAID and its experts, who had contributed to an improvement in legislative processes.  The former PM said he hoped that liberal values, a cornerstone of US-Ukrainian cooperation, would continue to thrive in Ukraine.