USAID Recognizes Ukraine Steel Company Donbass with 2008 "Alliance of the Year" Award

USAID Assistant Administrator Douglas Menarchik presents Award to the Industrial Union of Donbass Corporation representative Vasilii Arbuzov. Washington, D.C. - December 17, 2008. The U.S.  Agency for International Development (USAID) today recognized the Industrial Union of Donbass Corporation and the City Council of Alchevsk with the 2008 Global Development Alliance of the Year award for its efforts to promote community and economic development through the Partnership for the Future of Alchevsk.  The award is given annually by USAID's Global Development Alliance office to recognize outstanding public-private partnerships that contribute to solving significant development challenges around the world. USAID and the Industrial Union of Donbass Corporation and the City Council of Alchevsk have joined in a unique public-private alliance aimed at stimulating the local social and economic development of the industrial city of Alchevsk.  The USAID Mission in Ukraine and the local partners are working to create jobs, introduce sustainable finance, upgrade water and communal waste management systems, and engage citizens in decisions affecting the building of their own community.   "What is so unique about this partnership is not only the approach but the process of applying a series of successful programs to create a "critical mass" of economic and community activities in support of the Alchevsk’s long-term growth and development," said USAID Mission Director to Ukraine Janina Jaruzelski.  "The Partnership for the Future of Alchevsk has already made significant progress in helping the city achieve its two main priorities – to develop communal infrastructure and create favorable conditions for small and medium size businesses." Alchevsk with its 116,000 residents is one of Ukraine’s biggest industrial centers.  Thanks to this initiative, more than $10 million has been distributed through the Alchevsk Development Fund to support various infrastructure and social programs.  Water losses have been reduced by up to 20 percent and street lighting infrastructure near schools, kindergartens and a medical facility have been improved.   "The city of Alchevsk is happy to have played an active role in this partnership, and we are ready to share our experience with every city in Ukraine," said Alchevsk Mayor Volodymyr Choob.  "Through this mechanism for cooperation, we can achieve our goal to make Ukraine’s economy resilient, flexible, and transparent by improving the capacity for sustainable development." For more information on this and other USAID projects and programs, please visit www.usaid.gov.  To learn more about the Partnership for the Future of Alchevsk, please visit: http://ukraine.usaid.gov/lib/newsletter/june08.pdf.

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