USTDA Regional Brief - Europe and Eurasia

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) advances economic development and U.S. commercial interests in developing and middle-income countries. The agency funds various forms of technical assistance, feasibility studies, training, reverse trade missions and business workshops that support the development of a modern infrastructure and a fair and open trading environment. In carrying out its mission, USTDA gives emphasis to economic sectors that may benefit from U.S. exports of goods and services.

Since greatly expanding its program in Europe and Eurasia with the political changes in 1990, USTDA has provided funding of over $300 million for studies and other assistance on many major infrastructure projects in Europe and the countries of the former Soviet Union. Afghanistan, due to its ties to Central Asia, also falls within USTDA's Europe and Eurasia region.

USTDA assistance in the region is often focused on feasibility studies that help create long-term relationships between U.S. firms and their local counterparts that open the door to U.S exports. USTDA funding in support of such projects has two benefits: it reduces the level of investment risk American companies face in uncertain markets, and reassures local partners that their projects are backed by active U.S. Government support.

In carrying out its Europe and Eurasia program, USTDA often coordinates with federal agencies such as the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank), which provides trade financing, and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), which provides insurance and financing for U.S. investments. USTDA also maintains close relations with multilateral financing agencies including the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) as well as various private and public sector investment funds that have been established to support projects in the region. In appropriate cases, USTDA also works closely with U.S. Government technical agencies, such as the FAA and the Department of Energy.

In addition to promoting U.S. commercial interests, USTDA activities in Europe and Eurasia strengthen the economic reform process underway in the region by encouraging U.S. private sector partnerships with local entities. These partnerships, in turn, help provide the success stories needed to encourage the countries of the region to stay the course of reform.

Traditionally, most of the agency’s activities in Europe and Eurasia have involved only a single country. More recently, in concert with other U.S. Government agencies, USTDA has been taking a broader approach to regional economic cooperation, in particular, looking at ways to link Central Asia with its neighbors to the south, including Afghanistan. The result is USTDA’s South and Central Asia Regional Initiative, which is designed to assist the Central Asian states and Afghanistan in their economic development goals, while hastening their integration into the world economy.

The following is an illustrative list of projects that USTDA has supported in Europe and Eurasia:

Afghanistan

Housing and Mortgage Program Phase I – USTDA is providing $195,000 for Phase I of a feasibility study on 10,000 new housing units outside of Kabul and a 15 to 20 year mortgage program for low and middle income families. International Home Finance and Development, LLC of Aurora, CO, is conducting the study.

Azerbaijan

State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) Waste Management Facility – USTDA is funding a $572,068 feasibility study for a proposed Waste Management Facility project in Azerbaijan to improve waste management practices in the oil and natural gas sector. Contractor selection is ongoing.

Bulgaria

National Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Network – USTDA has provided $390,180 to the Bulgarian State Agency for Information Technology and Communications for a feasibility study to help develop network design, equipment specifications and other aspects of an ICT project that will link pre-existing local and national government networks. Central Point, LLC of McLean, VA, is conducting the study.

Croatia

Meteorological and Hydrological Service Modernization – USTDA is funding a $495,000 feasibility study to help the Meteorological and Hydrological Service in Croatia develop advanced monitoring and forecasting capabilities. The University of Oklahoma National Weather Center of Norman, OK, is conducting the study.

Georgia

Coal Bed Methane / Coal Mine Methane – USTDA is providing $540,000 to partially fund a feasibility study on recovering methane from coal seams, active coal mines, and abandoned coal mines in the Tkibuli-Shaori Coal Basin. An additional $284,342 was recently awarded for an extension study to include the Vale coal basin. Advanced Resources International of Fairfax, VA, is conducting the study.

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan Underground Gas Storage – USTDA provided $640,000 to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to partially fund a feasibility study on the reconstruction of two underground gas storage facilities. BSI Industries of Columbus, OH, conducted the study.

Kosovo

Kosovo Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (KTRA) Training – USTDA funded a training program to enhance the skill sets and professional competencies of its staff, particularly in the areas of telecommunications economics and legal affairs as well as consumer protection. Decision/ Analysis Partners of Fairfax, VA, organized the training program.

Kyrgyzstan

Datka-Kemin Transmission Line – USTDA is providing $537,595 for a feasibility study on the proposed Datka-Kemin Transmission Line project in Kyrgyzstan. Auriga Corporation of Milpitas, CA, is conducting the study.

Latvia

Air Traffic Management System Advanced Modernization Program – USTDA is providing $690,170 to fund technical assistance in planning for air traffic capacity increases, air traffic control technologies upgrades and ongoing facilities maintenance at Riga International Airport. DORS International of Alexandria, VA, is providing the assistance.

Lithuania

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Import Terminal – USTDA is providing $826,501 to partially fund a feasibility study on the construction of an LNG import terminal at one of three potential sites along Lithuania’s Baltic Sea coast. Science Applications International Corp. of San Diego, CA, is conducting the study.

Montenegro

Water Sector Revolving Investment Fund – USTDA provided $463,950 for technical assistance in designing a revolving investment fund allowing Montenegrin water utilities to obtain necessary funds for operational maintenance and improvements. The International Association of Development Funds of Bethesda, MD, provided the assistance.

Poland

Gdansk Integrated Emergency Management System (IEMS) – USTDA provided $171,167 to the City of Gdansk for technical assistance in upgrading its IEMS and redefining operational, infrastructure and local planning requirements. Winbourne & Costas, Inc. of Washington, DC, provided the assistance.

Romania

Next Generation Network – USTDA is providing $700,000 to the Romanian Special Telecommunications Service for a feasibility study to develop a next generation network for emergency management and operations. Telcordia Technologies, Inc. of Piscataway, NJ, is conducting the study.

Serbia

Biomass 5MW Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Plant – USTDA is providing $252,000 for a feasibility study to aid the Serbian Ministry of Mining and Energy in developing a biomass CHP plant in Serbia that will burn biomass waste to generate heat and electricity. Novi Energy, LLC of Novi, MI, is conducting the study.

Tajikistan

Fon Yaghnob Coal-Fired Power Plant – USTDA is providing $875,378 for a feasibility study on the coal mining component of a proposed integrated coal mining and power generation project at Fon Yaghnob, Tajikistan. Metallurgical Resources International of Rochester, NY, will conduct the study.

Turkey

Public Facility Energy Efficiency and Energy Service Company Development – USTDA is funding an reverse trade mission to the United States for Turkish officials on the technologies, expertise and government policies that support energy efficiency programs in public facilities. The United States Energy Association of Washington, DC, is organizing this activity.

Solar Energy Tender Technical Assistance – USTDA is funding $186,297 for technical assistance in advancing Turkey’s ability to develop its indigenous solar resources and reducing its dependence on imported energy. The U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is providing the assistance.

Turkmenistan

Oil and Gas Training – USTDA provided $785,445 to familiarize Turkmen oil and gas sector officials with U.S. and international standards and best practices in legal and regulatory affairs, as well as production sharing agreements. Koeppen, Elliott & Associates, LTD of Washington, DC, organized the training program.

Ukraine

Donetsk International Airport Expansion – USTDA provided $520,209 to fund a feasibility study on the proposed expansion and improvement of the Donetsk airport in Ukraine. Contractor selection is ongoing.