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 You are in: Under Secretary for Political Affairs > Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs > Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Releases > Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Reports > U.S. Government Assistance to and Cooperative Activities with Eurasia > FY 2002 U.S. Assistance to Eurasia 
U.S. Government Assistance to and Cooperative Activities with Eurasia   -FY 2002
Released by the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs
January 2003

III. Agency Overviews, Regional Program Assessments

The following section provides a brief overview of the program objectives of each of the major implementing agencies and summarizes regional programs that brought together participants from more than one Eurasian country. (For details on single-country programs, please see the country assessments in Part II of this report.)

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID) – BUREAU FOR EUROPE AND EURASIA (E&E)

In FY 2002, as in previous years, the overwhelming majority of USAID-funded assistance activities were conducted bilaterally, and are described in the 12 country assessments in Part II of this report. However, some activities were conducted across two or more Eurasian countries. USAID’s regional programs promote regional stability in Eurasia, a region critical to U.S. national interests and the war on terrorism. In FY 2002, the development challenge in Eurasia remained one of supporting and sustaining the transition of formerly authoritarian, centrally planned societies towards participatory democracies with strong market-based economies. Policy reform, institutional development, and broad-based citizen participation are central goals of USAID's regional programs.

USAID regional assistance focuses on cross-border cooperation and regional integration in information technology, health, financial development, infrastructure development, micro-enterprise, environment, energy, anti-corruption, and rule of law. USAID’s cross-border activities in Eurasia include ethnic conflict mitigation programs designed to contribute to a better climate for reform, social-sector initiatives designed to broaden the benefits of reform, and anti-corruption initiatives. Examples of USAID regional programs are provided below and in the various thematic sections of Part III.

USAID Support for OECD Anti-Corruption Network for Transition Economies

Since 1998, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has operated the Anti-Corruption Network for Transition Economies, which links international donors, key government officials, and civil society representatives in a forum to exchange information about anti-corruption policies and best practices. Building on existing regional initiatives, the Network coordinates efforts, shares information, and promotes international instruments and best practices as benchmarks, and supports a website: www.anticorruptionnet.org.

The European Commission, Council of Europe (COE), World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Transparency International, Open Society Institute, USAID and the OECD serve on the Steering Committee. The Network has transitioned from its beginnings as a donor-driven organization: all members (which include governments, international agencies, donors, and civil society organizations) now have equal input in setting the organization’s priorities. The Network promotes "East-to-East" relationships, technical exchanges, and international standards.

The Network is a source of information on anti-corruption initiatives, legislation, public documents, reports and surveys, success stories, and best practices, and monitors donor activities in this field. The Network sponsored its fourth annual meeting in 2002, with civil society and government participants from countries in Europe and Eurasia. Publications released in 2002 included a comparative study of the development of competitive public procurement systems in countries in the region, and, in coordination with the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC), seven country case studies analyzing experiences from donor-supported programs that fight corruption.

TRAINING, EXCHANGE, AND EDUCATIONAL REFORM PROGRAMS

Since 1993, the U.S. Government has brought over 100,000 people, including over 10,350 in FY 2002 alone, from the Eurasian countries to the United States on training and exchange programs in fields ranging from management to social service provision to NGO development. These programs have proven to be our most effective tool in reaching out to the next generation of Eurasian leaders to give them first-hand experience with the day-to-day functioning of a market-based, democratic system.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE – BUREAU OF EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS (ECA) (FORMERLY THE U.S. INFORMATION AGENCY)

In FY 2002, the ECA Bureau brought approximately 6,900 Eurasian citizens to the United States and sent approximately 1,200 U.S. citizens to the Eurasian countries on short- and long-term professional and academic exchange programs addressing a wide range of topics related to democratic and free-market reform. The ECA Bureau’s FY 2002 assistance programs for Eurasia were funded through the FREEDOM Support Act (FSA) as well as through the ECA Bureau’s own base appropriation under the Educational and Cultural Exchanges (ECE) Account. The funding source for each of the programs described below is noted as FSA-funded, ECA base-funded, or jointly funded.

ACADEMIC EXCHANGES

J. William Fulbright Program (ECA Base-Funded)

The Eurasian component of the State Department’s Fulbright Program provides fellowships for U.S. faculty to teach in the Eurasian countries and research awards for Eurasian scholars to study in the United States. The program gives U.S. students an opportunity to study and conduct research in any of the Eurasian countries and students from Russia and Ukraine an opportunity to study in the United States. The Fulbright Program is administered through Fulbright Offices in Moscow and Kiev and by the Public Affairs Sections of U.S. Embassies elsewhere in Eurasia. Although the Fulbright Program emphasizes the humanities and social sciences, fellowships also are awarded in biology, chemistry, mathematics, medicine, and related fields. In addition to funding 71 U.S. scholars, 93 Eurasian scholars, 40 U.S. students, and 31 Russian and Ukrainian students in FY 2002, the program also provided materials for use by U.S. grantees at their Eurasian host institutions. Some 13 additional Eurasian faculty (five from Russia, three from Armenia, two from Kazakhstan, and one each from Belarus, Georgia, and Moldova) participated in the Fulbright Study of the United States Program. The Fulbright Program offers Eurasian scholars experience with diversity, perspectives on the American liberal arts curriculum, and a global network of personal and professional contacts.

Fulbright Scholars

Country
U.S. Participants
(Base-funded)
Eurasian Participants (Base-funded)
Total Participants
Armenia
2
2
4
Azerbaijan
3
3
6
Belarus
5
4
9
Georgia
2
3
5
Kazakhstan
5
8
13
Kyrgyz Republic
4
4
8
Moldova
4
4
8
Russia
22
40
62
Tajikistan
0
1
1
Turkmenistan
0
3
3
Ukraine
21
16
37
Uzbekistan
3
5
8
Total
71
93
164

Fulbright Students

Country
U.S. Participants
(Base-funded)
Eurasian Participants (Base-Funded)
Total Participants
Armenia
2
0
2
Azerbaijan
1
0
1
Belarus
0
0
0
Georgia
1
0
1
Kazakhstan
3
0
3
Kyrgyz Republic
1
0
1
Moldova
0
0
0
Russia
23
15
38
Tajikistan
0
0
0
Turkmenistan
0
0
0
Ukraine
7
16
23
Uzbekistan
2
0
2
Total
40
31
71

FREEDOM Support Act (FSA) Undergraduate Exchange Program (FSA-Funded)

The ECA Bureau’s FSA Undergraduate Exchange Program provides grants to Eurasian citizens for one year of non-degree undergraduate study in the United States in a number of areas, including agricultural and environmental management, American studies, business, computer science, economics, education methodology, journalism/mass communications, political science, and sociology. Second-year students receive scholarships to study at community colleges, while third- and fourth-year students compete for scholarships at four-year colleges and universities. Academic studies are enhanced through community service activities, practical internships, and a mid-year workshop. In addition to one year of non-degree course work, FSA Undergraduate students give back to their communities through their volunteer efforts. This year students have helped build houses for the poor with Habitat for Humanity; delivered mail and newspapers to patients at St. Luke's Healthcare Center in Utica, New York; volunteered at the American Diabetes Association Marathon in Norfolk, Virginia; and taught business courses for the Mississippi Small Business Development Center. In FY 2002, the program funded 293 participants. The FSA Undergraduate Exchange Program is administered by the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX). FSA Undergraduate Exchange Program participants are studying at 115 universities and community colleges in 39 states.

FSA Undergraduate Exchange Program

Country
Eurasian Participants
(FSA-funded)
Armenia
19
Azerbaijan
20
Belarus
8
Georgia
19
Kazakhstan
15
Kyrgyz Republic
10
Moldova
8
Russia
55
Tajikistan
5
Turkmenistan
7
Ukraine
109
Uzbekistan
18
Total
293


Edmund S. Muskie/FREEDOM Support Act (FSA) Graduate Fellowship Program
(FSA- and ECA Base-Funded)

The Edmund S. Muskie/FSA Graduate Fellowship Program provides highly qualified Eurasian participants with opportunities to undertake graduate-level study leading to a master’s degree or professional certificate in U.S. institutions of higher education. Muskie/FSA Graduate Fellows matriculate in one- or two-year graduate programs in the fields of business administration, economics, education, environmental policy and management, international affairs, journalism and mass communications, law, library and information science, public administration, public health, or public policy. In addition, fellows are eligible to participate in professional internships and to receive limited practical training after the completion of their master’s-degree program if the training will lead to a permanent job with the same company back in their home country. A variety of activities are available to alumni of the Muskie/FSA Program, including a small-grants competition (the Local Initiative Grants Program) and Support for Community Outreach and University Teaching (SCOUT), which provides stipends to teach in institutions of higher education on a full- or part-time basis. In FY 2002, 338 fellowships were provided for Eurasian participants. Since the program’s inception, more than 2,800 Fellows have completed the Muskie/FSA program and returned to their home countries with advanced U.S. degrees.

Edmund S. Muskie/FSA Graduate Fellowship Program

Country
Eurasian Participants
(FSA-funded)
Eurasian Participants (Base-funded)
Total Eurasian Participants
Armenia
34
0
34
Azerbaijan
30
0
30
Belarus
8
0
8
Georgia
29
0
29
Kazakhstan
15
0
15
Kyrgyz Republic
14
0
11
Moldova
7
0
7
Russia
55
4
59
Tajikistan
3
0
3
Turkmenistan
7
0
7
Ukraine
99
0
99
Uzbekistan
29
0
16
Total
334
4
338

Edmund S. Muskie Ph.D. Fellowship Program (ECA Base-Funded)

The Edmund S. Muskie Ph.D. Fellowship Program supports outstanding citizens from Georgia, Russia and Ukraine for doctoral study in the United States in the fields of business administration, economics, public administration, and public policy. The Muskie Ph.D. Program is designed to allow future university professors, government officials, and leaders in the business and non-profit communities of the participating countries to receive a Ph.D. degree and return to their home countries to teach at the university level or otherwise contribute on an expert level in the public or private sector. The Muskie Ph.D. Program is administered on behalf of the ECA Bureau by the American Councils for International Education (ACTR/ACCELS). U.S. host universities provide waivers of tuition and fees averaging fifty percent. Current host universities include American University, Brandeis University, Florida State University, Georgetown University, Indiana University, John Jay School of Criminal Justice, Ohio State University, Purdue University, Rutgers University, Temple University, University of Delaware, University of Georgia, University of Kansas, University of Michigan, University of Pittsburgh. In FY 2002, a total of 17 fellowships were awarded, and nine fellows began their Ph.D. programs.

U.S.-Russian Young Leadership Fellows for Public Service Program (FSA-Funded)

This program, which is administered by the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX), combines academic coursework with complementary community service and an internship, and targets Russian university graduates who have demonstrated leadership skills and an interest in public service. The program provides full scholarships for one year of non-degree study in the United States at qualified universities and colleges. Russian students select a concentration in Community Affairs, Governmental Affairs, or Corporate Affairs. FY 2002 funding is providing fellowships for 27 Russian participants.

Junior Faculty Development Program (FSA- and ECA Base-Funded)

The Junior Faculty Development Program (JFDP), which is administered by the American Councils for International Education (ACTR/ACCELS), offers fellowships to university instructors from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Russia, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Fellows are selected through an open, merit-based competition and attend U.S. universities for one academic year to work with faculty mentors in order to develop new curricula and approaches to teaching in their fields of study. University instructors in the following fields of study may participate in the JFDP: American studies, arts management, architecture and urban planning, business administration, cultural anthropology, economics, education administration, environmental studies, history, journalism, law, library science, linguistics, literature, philosophy, political science, psychology, public administration, public policy, and sociology. Upon completion of the academic component of the program, JFDP Fellows participate in two-month practical internships at institutions and organizations across the United States. In FY 2002, there were a total of 100 JFDP participants from Eurasia.

Junior Faculty Development Program (JFDP)

Country
Eurasian Participants
(FSA-funded)
Eurasian Participants (Base-funded)
Total Participants
Armenia
5
0
5
Azerbaijan
4
0
4
Belarus
0
0
0
Georgia
5
0
5
Kazakhstan
5
0
5
Kyrgyz Republic
4
0
4
Moldova
5
0
5
Russia
0
35
35
Tajikistan
0
0
0
Turkmenistan
3
0
3
Ukraine
19
7
26
Uzbekistan
4
4
8
Total
54
46
100

Contemporary Issues Fellowship Program (FSA-Funded)

The ECA Bureau’s Contemporary Issues Fellowship Program provides participants with an opportunity to conduct research and participate in professional conferences and public fora on a range of topics, including sustainable growth and economic development; democratization, human rights and the rule of law; political, military, security and public-policy issues; strengthening civil society; Internet; New Media; and intellectual property rights. The program, which is administered by the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX), targets Eurasian government officials, NGO leaders and private-sector professionals who are engaged in the political, economic, social, or educational transformation of their countries. Fellows are selected through an open, merit-based competition and placed in four-month-long programs at U.S. universities, think tanks, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and U.S. Government offices. They are also matched with U.S. host advisors, who guide their research and professional development. FY 2002 funding is providing placements for 108 Contemporary Issues fellows.

Contemporary Issues Fellowship Program

Country
Eurasian Participants
(FSA-funded)
Armenia
8
Azerbaijan
7
Belarus
3
Georgia
5
Kazakhstan
8
Kyrgyz Republic
8
Moldova
10
Russia
23
Tajikistan
4
Turkmenistan
4
Ukraine
20
Uzbekistan
8
Total
108

Civic Education Project (FSA-Funded)

The Civic Education Project (CEP) is a private voluntary international educational organization founded in 1991 to assist democratic reform by cooperating with educational reform efforts at universities and other institutions of higher education in Central and Eastern Europe and the Eurasian countries. CEP works in close cooperation with Central European University and Yale University. CEP receives a grant from the ECA Bureau to sponsor U.S. Visiting Faculty Fellows to teach for at least one academic year in the social science departments of Armenian and Azerbaijani universities. Through interactive teaching methods, curriculum reform efforts, library improvements, research partnerships and student conferences, Visiting Faculty Fellows aid in the development and improvement of university faculties in which they teach. Four CEP fellows were resident in Armenia in FY 2002: two at Yerevan State University, one at Briusov Linguistic University and one at Acharyan University.

FREEDOM Support Act (FSA) Educational Partnership Program (FSA-Funded)

The FSA Educational Partnership Program is designed to support mutually beneficial linkages between U.S. and Eurasian colleges and universities in the following areas: law, business, economics, trade, education, continuing education, educational reform, civic education, public administration, public policy, government, journalism and communications. Educational partnerships develop innovative new curricula that benefit students in both countries. By promoting curriculum reform and applied research, this program helps academic institutions in the Eurasian countries to contribute to the creation of democratic institutions, the rule of law, and an environment hospitable to foreign investment in their countries. Most linkages are with institutions outside of capital cities: only three of the 38 current partnerships with Russia involve an institution in Moscow, while only five of the 27 current Ukraine partnerships involve an institution in Kiev. Regional institutions from outside the capital cities of Central Asia also participate in partnerships.

The FSA Educational Partnership Program provides grants of up to $300,000 for U.S. and Eurasian institutions to exchange faculty and staff for the purpose of teaching, lecturing, faculty and curriculum development, collaborative research and outreach. Cost-sharing by the U.S. partner institutions and other sources covers approximately 45 percent of all program costs. In FY 2002, the ECA Bureau awarded 23 new grants for U.S.-Eurasian partnerships that will provide exchange opportunities to a total of 279 Eurasian and 234 U.S. participants. Two of these grants were awarded to community colleges. In May 2002, representatives of 23 U.S. schools and 19 Eurasian schools involved in partnerships in the field of business administration met at a workshop in Washington, D.C., to share their experiences in curriculum development in the field of business administration. Project directors described how they had developed new degree programs, business development centers, and executive management training programs.

FSA Educational Partnership Program

Country
U.S. Participants
(FSA-funded)
Eurasian Participants
(FSA-funded)
Total Participants
Armenia
13
19
32
Azerbaijan
11
9
20
Belarus
0
0
0
Georgia
14
38
52
Kazakhstan
8
7
15
Kyrgyz Republic
16
23
39
Moldova
20
30
50
Russia
87
79
166
Tajikistan
0
7
7
Turkmenistan
0
0
0
Ukraine
39
55
94
Uzbekistan
26
12
38
Total
234
279
513

Civic Education Curriculum Development Programs (FSA-Funded)

The ECA Bureau’s Office of Global Educational Programs administers specialized curriculum development and training projects that emphasize civic education and elementary and middle school curriculum development, in collaboration with local partners throughout Eurasia and Eastern Europe. These projects are designed to equip the successor generations in the regions with the skills necessary to contribute as citizens to the development of civil society and the democratic governance of their countries. FY 2002 funding is providing opportunities for 23 U.S. and 31 Eurasian citizens to participate in exchange activities under these civic education grants, with an additional 3,295 educators taking part in the training components conducted in the Eurasian countries.

Civic Education Programs

Country
U.S. Participants
(FSA-funded)
Eurasian Participants
(FSA-funded)
Total Participants
Armenia
16
18
34
Azerbaijan
4
5
9
Belarus
0
0
0
Georgia
0
0
0
Kazakhstan
0
0
0
Kyrgyz Republic
0
0
0
Moldova
0
0
0
Russia
3
8
11
Tajikistan
0
0
0
Turkmenistan
0
0
0
Ukraine
0
0
0
Uzbekistan
0
0
0
Total
23
31
54

Partners in Education (FSA-Funded)

The Partners in Education (PiE) Program seeks to improve the content and methodology of civic education in schools in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Kyrgyz Republic, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. In FY 2002, the PiE Program provided opportunities for over 220 English-speaking civic education and social science teachers, administrators and teacher-trainers to learn about U.S. approaches to teaching civics. PiE participants are selected through an open, merit-based competition, and travel to the United States for a six-week program consisting of an intensive school-based internship and a series of professional development workshops. PiE participants stay with American families and are hosted by U.S. universities, secondary schools, and private organizations. The groups each produce curricula or lessons for their home institutions. In exchange for hosting the Eurasian educators, 20 U.S. host-school educators are eligible to participate in two-week follow-up programs in the Eurasian educators’ home countries designed in collaboration with their counterparts.

Partners in Education (PiE)

Country
U.S. Participants
(FSA-funded)
Eurasian Participants
(FSA-funded)
Total Participants
Armenia
3
30
33
Azerbaijan
3
30
33
Belarus
0
0
0
Georgia
3
30
33
Kazakhstan
0
0
0
Kyrgyz Republic
3
30
33
Moldova
0
0
0
Russia
0
0
0
Tajikistan
0
0
0
Turkmenistan
0
0
0
Ukraine
6
88
94
Uzbekistan
2
15
17
Total
20
223
243

Track II (FSA-Funded)

American University's Center for Global Peace is implementing Track II, a program to promote improved relations between Armenians and Turks and between Armenians and Azeris. Track II engages civil society in order to enable contact; advance mutual understanding; and promote practical areas of cooperation. It also seeks to create an atmosphere conducive to the success of official diplomatic efforts. FY 2002 project activities included leadership development activities, parliamentary exchanges, local government capacity-building, conflict resolution training, media exchanges, cultural events, the development of a virtual agricultural wholesale market, research on mutual perceptions, and the development of a regional academic consortium.

Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program (ECA Base-Funded)

The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program provides one-year grants to mid-career professionals from selected Eurasian countries as part of a worldwide program of U.S.-based graduate-level study and practical professional experience designed to develop leadership and management skills. The program is administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE). In FY 2002, a total of nine professionals from Eurasia (two from Armenia, and one each from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) were awarded Humphrey Fellowships.

Educational Information Centers (FSA- and ECA Base-Funded)

The ECA Bureau supports a network of 70 educational information centers throughout Eurasia, which promotes the participation of Eurasian students and scholars in U.S. academic programs. The ECA Bureau provides books, materials, equipment, and training to all of these centers, 15 of which also receive direct financial support through cooperative agreements with American Councils for International Education (ACTR/ACCELS), the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX), and the Open Society Institute. The centers provide students with services including group and individual advising on U.S. educational opportunities, pre-departure orientations, lectures on special-interest topics, educational fairs, alumni activities, and computer-based testing. The centers, which are open to the general public, also provide information about a wide range of U.S. Government-sponsored exchange programs. In FY 2002, the ECA Bureau sponsored a special training conference in Almaty for advisers from throughout Central Asia, which focused on promoting U.S. education to a broad audience, as well as providing the latest information on visa issues, testing requirements, and pre-departure information. IIE’s publication Open Doors reports increases of over 25 percent in the numbers of students studying in the United States from the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan, and more modest increases in students from Armenia, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine.

PROFESSIONAL EXCHANGES

International Visitor(IV)/FREEDOM Support Act (FSA) Grant Programs (FSA- and ECA Base-Funded)

The ECA Bureau's base-funded IV Program gives participants from the Eurasian countries an opportunity to familiarize themselves with American society, government and culture; study U.S. approaches to their professional fields; and establish professional contacts with their U.S. counterparts. IV Program participants are nominated by U.S. embassies and come to the United States for approximately three weeks to meet with experts in their fields in Washington, D.C., and various cities around the country. The FSA Grant Program, the FSA-funded counterpart of the IV Program, brings mid- to senior-level regional and local government officials and key professionals in selected fields to the United States to meet with their professional counterparts and examine issues related to democratic and economic reform. Program participants are also nominated by U.S. embassies. They spend several days meeting and developing working relationships with experts in their professional fields in Washington, D.C., and throughout the United States. Participants develop working relationships with their U.S. counterparts, from whom they can gather information on an ongoing basis. The programs, which are typically two to three weeks in length, have included government officials, members of federal and local legislatures, leading economists, journalists and government spokespersons, regional leaders, judges and prosecutors, and representatives of NGOs. Topics addressed in FY 2002 included elections, the U.S. system of government and politics, intergovernmental relations, foreign-policy decision-making, economic development and regional investment, entrepreneurship, small-business development, HIV/AIDS, rights of the disabled, religious freedom, immigration and consular issues, judicial reform, and journalism.

In FY 2002, the ECA Bureau’s Office of International Visitors organized group and individual FSA Grant exchange programs for a total of 719 Eurasian participants. The IV Office also carried out base-funded group and individual IV programs for a total of 261 Eurasian participants in FY 2002.

International Visitor / FSA Grant Programs

Country
Eurasian Participants
(FSA-funded)
Eurasian Participants
(Base-funded)
Total
Participants
Armenia
54
7
61
Azerbaijan
48
4
52
Belarus
28
12
40
Georgia
56
12
68
Kazakhstan
47
31
78
Kyrgyz Republic
38
15
53
Moldova
34
9
43
Russia
262
117
379
Tajikistan
12
10
22
Turkmenistan
22
8
30
Ukraine
83
26
109
Uzbekistan
35
10
45
Total
719
261
980

Eurasian Professional Exchanges and Training Program (FSA- and ECA Base-Funded)

The Eurasian Professional Exchanges and Training Program administered by the ECA Bureau’s Office of Citizen Exchanges is designed to encourage the growth of democratic institutions by enhancing institutional partnerships and offering practical information to individuals and groups. The exchanges and training programs supported by the program are conducted by U.S. NGOs and universities in partnership with Eurasian institutions. These programs not only expand and enhance partnerships between U.S. and Eurasian institutions, but also enable Eurasia citizens to develop knowledge and skills that advance their professional development. Program activities supported in FY 2002 included internships, study tours, training, consultations, and intensive, extended workshops. These components were conducted in both the United States and in the Eurasian countries. Many of the programs were designed to accommodate non-English speakers and take into account the need for ongoing information-sharing, training and plans for self-sustainability. Programs also provided support for the establishment of training centers, professional networks and associations, Internet communication, materials development and train-the-trainer programs. In FY 2002, the Office of Citizen Exchanges awarded approximately 16 grants to support international exchange programs for 144 Eurasian citizens and 62 U.S. citizens. These grants also touch the lives of several hundred individuals in regionally based training programs led by former participants after returning to their home countries.

Thematic priorities for FY 2002 included media internships, training for press spokespersons, tourism and economic development, public health, civil rights, library development, and youth issues. In FY 2003, the Office of Citizen Exchanges will support single-country projects focusing on media training for journalists and media managers in Armenia, Kazakhstan, Russia and Uzbekistan; prevention of trafficking in persons in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan; tolerance in Georgia and Russia; intellectual property rights in Russia; professional association building for political scientists and economists in Ukraine; religion in a democracy in Kazakhstan; business development in Turkmenistan; community and local government relations in Armenia; public health awareness in Armenia; and training in NGO law making in Turkmenistan. Project implementers will be selected through an open competition announced in the Federal Register.

Eurasian Professional Exchanges and Training Program

Country
U.S.
Participants
(FSA-funded)
U.S.
Participants
(Base-funded)
Eurasian Participants
(FSA-funded)
Eurasian Participants (Base-funded)
Total U.S. Participants
Total Eurasian Participants
Total Partici-pants
Armenia
0
6
0
0
6
0
6
Azerbaijan
2
60
0
58
62
58
120
Belarus
0
6
0
0
6
0
6
Georgia
6
6
32
0
12
32
44
Kazakhstan
3
6
9
0
9
9
18
Kyrgyz Republic
2
3
10
0
5
10
15
Moldova
2
6
11
0
8
11
19
Russia
10
24
0
12
34
12
46
Tajikistan
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Turkmenistan
0
15
0
12
15
12
27
Ukraine
37
6
54
0
43
54
97
Uzbekistan
0
6
0
0
6
6
12
Total
62
144
116
82
206
204
410

Community Connections Program (FSA-Funded)

The Community Connections Program offers community-based, three- to five-week practical training opportunities with home-stays in the United States for entrepreneurs, local government officials, legal professionals, NGO leaders and other professionals from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. FY 2002 funding is supporting training for approximately 1,570 participants.

The objectives of the Community Connections Program are to provide participants with exposure to the day-to-day functioning of a democratic, free market system; encourage public-private partnerships in the Eurasian countries by including private-sector and government participants in the same programs; and create links between U.S. and Eurasian regions and communities. Under the Community Connections Program, English-speaking local entrepreneurs are offered individual internships in similar U.S. businesses, including seminars, consultations and site visits. Programs for professionals who do not speak English are more group-focused and are implemented with the assistance of U.S.-based locally hired interpreters. The programs focus on topics such as NGO development, work with the disabled, public health, education administration, library sciences, and information access. Recruitment is carried out in targeted regions by resident representatives of U.S. organizations, and candidates are selected through an open, merit-based competition. Candidates must successfully complete a three-stage selection process that includes a review of applications by a committee of experts in the given field, and an in-person interview conducted by members of the relevant professional community. Finalists are then placed by U.S. community-based organizations, which arrange hands-on internships for them with volunteer host companies or organizations and provide housing with volunteer American families.

During the 2002-03 hosting cycle, 680 business participants will be successfully placed in internships and 890 professional participants will attend site visits, seminars and meetings relevant to their fields. In FY 2002, 50 local organizations were part of the Community Connections U.S. hosting network. In addition, during FY 2002, U.S. host organizations organized a variety of follow-on activities (seminars, round tables, lectures, etc.) designed to build on the training and experiences that Community Connections alumni gained in the United States. Approximately 83 Americans traveled to the Eurasian countries to implement follow-on programming. Overall, there are currently more than 12,000 Community Connections alumni throughout Eurasia who remain active by participating in activities developed by host organizations, recruitment organizations and U.S. embassies.

Community Connections Program

Country
U.S. Participants
(FSA-funded)
Eurasian Participants
(FSA-funded)
Total Participants
Armenia
8
70
78
Azerbaijan
0
50
50
Belarus
0
40
40
Georgia
3
70
73
Kazakhstan
0
60
60
Kyrgyz Republic
0
40
40
Moldova
8
120
128
Russia
58
680
738
Tajikistan
0
0
0
Turkmenistan
0
0
0
Ukraine
6
400
406
Uzbekistan
0
40
40
Total
83
1570
1653

Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) (FSA-Funded)

PEP, which is implemented by the San Francisco-based Center for Citizen Initiatives' (CCI), provides month-long management training internships for non-English-speaking Russian entrepreneurs, managers, private farmers, bankers, accountants, and other business people. For additional information on this program, please see the Russia country assessment in Part II of this report.

SECONDARY SCHOOL EXCHANGE AND PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS

The Eurasia Secondary School Initiative supports exchanges of high school students and educators between the United States and the Eurasian countries through three major programs: the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program, School Partnership Program, and Teaching Excellence Awards (TEA). The long-term objectives of these programs are as follows: (1) to foster interaction between U.S. and Eurasian secondary school students so as to promote mutual understanding; (2) to integrate Eurasian citizens into the world community by helping them build open societies and promote democratic values and institutions in their home countries; (3) to build sustainable partnerships between U.S. and Eurasian school systems and private organizations; and (4) to promote educational reform and citizen empowerment.

Future Leaders’ Exchange (FLEX) Program (FSA and ECA Base-Funded)

Under the FLEX Program, students from all 12 Eurasian countries live with U.S. host families and attend U.S. high schools for one academic year. FLEX participants are placed in all 50 states and take part in local civic education and community service activities. In FY 2002, 1,268 participants were selected. In February, a group of 120 FLEX essay contest winners took part in a week-long civic education workshop in Washington, D.C., organized by the Close-Up Foundation. The FLEX Program generated an estimated $10.8 million in cost-sharing and in-kind contributions in FY 2002, mostly by host families and schools. FLEX students performed more than 20,000 hours of community service during the 2001-02 school year, and after returning to their home countries, their community service focus was encouraged through special training and alumni follow-on activities. These included a FLEX Alumni Grants Competition for which 90 proposals were submitted and 28 grants awarded to alumni from 11 Eurasian countries for projects on civic education, professional development, and community service. In addition, 32 specially selected FLEX students participated in a workshop designed to teach them to become computer teachers and conduct community-based Internet training activities upon returning to their home countries.

Future Leaders’ Exchange (FLEX) Program

Country
Eurasian Participants
(FSA-funded)
Armenia
50
Azerbaijan
55
Belarus
50
Georgia
50
Kazakhstan
65
Kyrgyz Republic
50
Moldova
40
Russia
352
Tajikistan
21
Turkmenistan
50