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RUSSIA-UNECE: PARTNERS IN DEVELOPMENT

The member States of the countries in need. The Russian Federation not only a decision to make an annual
United Nations Economic Russian Federation, as well as joined this club of donors but contribution to UNECE of
Commission for Europe other member States, shares also ranked fourth in 2009 by US$1.2 million to support its
(UNECE) are not readily the approach of UNECE in size of its annual contribution. technical co-operation pro-
associated with the need for this area based upon the prin- Thus, Russia became the first gramme.
development. When referring ciples laid down in the UNECE significant long-term
to this region, most people UNECE Technical Co-opera- donor representing an emer- The Russia-UNECE Memo-
would tend to associate it with tion Strategy adopted by the ging economy and a former randum, governing the use
relative prosperity, economic sixty-second session of the transition country. and disbursement of the
advancement and social secu- Commission held on 25-27 Russian contribution, stipula-
rity. Such an attitude is quite April 2007. According to this The Russian Federation has tes that technical co-operation
natural as many countries of document, the Commission always been active in the field projects funded from this
the region actually represent focuses its technical co-opera- of international development source shall have a major geo-
the richest and economically tion activities on those areas assistance. Even at the time of graphical focus on the
most powerful part of the where it has strong in-house extreme economic hardship in Commonwealth
of
world, including the United expertise and a clear compara- the early 1990s, Russia persis- Independent States, with par-
States and the European tive advantage over other tently made efforts to facilita- ticular emphasis on Central
Union, or like the Russian organizations, implements te economic progress in deve- Asian republics. As to thema-
Federation are routinely refer- projects only at the request of loping countries, mostly by tic areas of its application, the
red to as fast-growing emer- governments or of the writing off debts under loans largest portion of the financial
ging markets. But if we want a UNECE sectoral committees, lent by the former Soviet support or 45% was allocated
true and complete picture of and aims at involving benefi- Union or it carried out huma- to the programme of econo-
the UNECE region there is a ciary countries and ensuring nitarian operations regularly. mic co-operation and integra-
need to pay much more atten- national ownership. These actions took place, for tion, including competitive-
tion to the diversity of its example, within the frame- ness and innovative policies,
countries in terms of their The credibility and efficiency work of the Heavily Indebted commercialization of intellec-
socio-economic development. of UNECE technical co-ope- Poor Countries Initiative. tual property and promotion
ration projects has led to a With the adoption of the natio- of public/private partnerships.
According to the UN classifi- steady increase in the provi- nal Concept of Participation in A sizeable amount was alloca-
cation, the UNECE region sion of extra-budgetary International Development ted to trade facilitation (23%),
comprises seventeen countries resources -- with member Assistance, Russia has put its sustainable energy (14%) and
that are still eligible for offi- States taking the lead. In 2009 relevant activities on a strong environment, housing and
cial development assistance alone trust fund contributions systematic footing. Steady land management projects
(ODA) and some of them are amounted to US$15.1 million, economic revival registered (12%). It is worth noting that
at risk of failing to reach the reflecting a 32% increase over since the late 1990s has ena- this spending pattern differs
indicators for the Millennium the previous year. The bled Russia in recent times to from the preferences of other
Developments Goals by 2015. UNECE member States significantly widen the scope so-called traditional donors,
remain the largest providers of and types of its assistance to who accentuate environmen-
UNECE has a long and pro- financial support, accounting international development. In tal issues over other urgent
ven record of rendering tech- for 77.2% of the total extra- line with this trend, since 2008 and pressing needs of benefi-
nical assistance services to budgetary funds in 2009. The the Russian Government took ciary countries.

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