Ukraine

Ukraine is one of the priority partner countries for Estonia. Estonian development co-operation with Ukraine concentrates on education, good governance and democracy-building, as well as support for economic development and environmental sustainability. The main beneficiaries of the bilateral development co-operation are non-governmental organizations, local governments, universities and etc. The majority of the development co-operation has been carried out in Chernigov region.

The following projects, some examples, have been carried out with the support of means allocated for development co-operation in the Foreign Ministry’s budget.

Examples of projects in 2008-2011

• Project by Estonian Young Researchers Academy „Mapping and developing transferable skills of young Ukrainian PhD candidates” aims to introduce a new approach on intersectoral mobility and transferable skills to Ukrainian young researchers. to introduce a new approach on intersectoral mobility and transferable skills to Ukrainian young researchers. In the framework expectations and needs were carried out and recommendations for Ukrainian universities and the Ministry of Science and Education of Ukraine are drafted. Project was implemented in 2008-2009. State funding allocated for the implementation of project activities: 35 870 EUR.
   
• “Introduction of criminal police generally recognized principles of work to the criminal militia officials of Chernigov oblast based on the Estonian police example.” The aim of the project is to increase the level of professional skills of criminal militia of Chernigov oblast and to rationalize the activity of criminal militia structural units. As a result of this project the domains of further co-operation were mapped in law enforcement sector. Project was implemented in 2008 -2009. State funding allocated for the implementation of project activities: 36 180 EUR.
   
• „Harmonization of the Ukraine national legislation with the requirements of the Optional protocol on Sale of Children to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child” by Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ukraine has to carry out several amendments in its legislation in order to join the Optional Protocol on Sale of Children to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The project resulted in reviewing Ukrainian legislation in the course of which all legislative acts that need to be amended will be mapped. Project was finished in 2010. Total state funding allocated for the implementation of project activities: 94 088 EUR.
   
• Diplomacy, international relations and European integration related training for developing democracies - Estonian School of Diplomacy. In the framework of the project, 3-week training courses were carried out for Iraq’s, Kosova’s, Georgian, Moldovan, Ukrainian and Armenian civil servants at the Estonian School of Diplomacy. The training course gave an in-depth overview of the Estonian integration experience to the EU and NATO, of the decision making procedures of these organizations, of the cooperation between the member states and their relations with the Eastern neighbors of the ENP. State funding allocated for the implementation of project activities: 96 077 EUR (Ukrainian share 16 230 EUR).
   
• “First-Aid Training of Trainers for Moldova Red Cross, Ukraine Red Cross and Belorussia Red Cross National Societies”. Project of Estonian Red Cross aims for training local first aid experts, who would be capable and qualified to train new first aid teachers and also the broader society, so that people would be more aware of the right techniques to use during accidents. The schooling programme is same for all the countries and in accordance with the materials approved by European Reference Centre for First Aid Education. State funding allocated for the implementation of project activities: 11 720 EUR (for Ukraine 3907 EUR). Project was implemented in 2010.
   
• Co-operation between Krasnogvardeiski region, Petrovka rural municipality (Crimea Autonomic Republic, Ukraine) and Rapla county Kehtna rural municipality in preparing and implementing principles and methods for engagement of local young people and youth associations into development of local community. During Kehtna Rural municipality’s project seminars and workshop were held; also the local Open Youth Centre was provided with technical and material assistance. Funding from Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is 8462 EUR.
   
• Project “Increase the level of pedestrians’ safety in Ukraine through awareness and development of flicker-wearing culture based on Estonian positive example” by NGO VIA-INFO is implemented from October 2010 until August 2011. The aim of the project is to increase the level of pedestrians’ safety in Ukraine through awareness and development of flickering-wearing culture and strengthen the level of professional knowledge and skills of Ukrainian officers of preventive units of traffic militia. State funding allocated for the implementation of project activities: 55 474 EUR.
   
• Estonia contributes 16 542 EUR to implement the project of Peipsi Centre for Transboundary Co-operation “Promoting transboundary co-operation in river Dniestr” . The aim of the project is to raise effectiveness of cross border co-operation in transboundary river Dniestr management, inter territorial and sector co-operation, also to increase public awareness about Dniestr river environmental condition and –problems.
   
• “Increasing the efficiency of border guard on Moldova-Ukraine green border via transfer of Estonian experience and implementation of innovative ICT solutions” (Defendec (private limited company). The project focuses on guarding the green border and preventing the illegal movement of persons and goods over the border (Moldova and Ukraine). In the framework of the project the border guard officials of Moldova and Ukraine were trained on the issues of adhering to the European Union, NATO and Schengen visa area. State funding allocated for the implementation of project activities: 57 755 EUR (for Ukraine 28 878 EUR)
   
• Scholarship for female student from Ukraine for studying in the MA program in Software Engineering at the University of Tartu in 2010/2011. State allocated 7478 EUR for the project implemented by University of Tartu.

• "Raising the technical capabilities of 38 regional bureaus and the financial-economic expertise laboratory of the State Scientific Research Forensic Centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine". The Border Guard Department of the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board in cooperation with the State Scientific Research Forensic Centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine support the Law Enforcement Services of Ukraine in improving their efficiency in the fight against cross border smuggling of vehicles. State funding allocated for the implementation of project activities: 73 378 EUR

• "Working together for integrated management of water resources in the Ukrainian part of the Danube Delta Sub-basin". The project aims to facilitate the introduction of a river basin management approach in the Ukrainian part of the Danube Delta Region through the improvement of institutional and human capacities and strengthening public participation in water resources management. The project will be implemented through the transfer of Estonian knowledge in EU Water Framework Directive implementation and Estonian-Russian trans-boundary water management. State funding allocated for the implementation of project activities: 25 565 EUR

• "Developing Tourism Entrepreneurship in the Bathumi region in Georgia and the Simpheropol region in Ukraine". The project aims to develop regional tourism entrepreneurhsip in Bathumi region in Georgia and Simpheropol region in Ukraine (Crimea) through (1) sharing and learning from the experience of the cluster of Pärnu region tourism destination and (2) the cooperation between universities providing tourism education in Estonia and in Georgia and Ukraine. State funding allocated for the implementation of project activities: 39 863 EUR

• "Promoting and implementing e-learning in Crimean schools, Ukraine". The goal of the project is to enable the pedagogues of comprehensive schools in Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Ukraine to integrate new learning methodologies into their everyday learning/teaching activities. The project provides/creates an e-learning environment , which is used successfully by schools in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia and other countries. Also, support and training activities are organized. State funding allocated for the implementation of project activities: 38 184 EUR

   

   

Eastern Partnership Training Centre

Starting from 2011 the Eastern Partnership Training Centre started to operate in Tallinn. Based on the experiences of Estonian School of Diplomacy, the training centre has been created for arranging training programs and seminars related to various aspects of good governance reform to the government officials from EU Eastern Partnership countries, including Ukraine. An important aspect of the work of the centre is enhancing the regional cooperation and integration of the Eastern Partnership Countries.
The activities of the Centre are funded from the development co-operation budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.