assistance
7.1. How and how much the Czech government assists the Moldova’s government
The Czech development assistance aims to reduce poverty in less-developed countries and maintain sustainable development. In its policy of development assistance, the Czech Republic adopts a multidimensional approach to the concept of poverty that is accepting that poverty reduction cannot be understood just in terms of economic development. Therefore, poverty is not just a mere lack of income, but rather a consequence of many social and environmental factors.
Development assistance projects focus in general on sectors where the Czech Republic enjoys comparative advantages. The sectors include education (provided in the form of scholarships), environmental protection (hydrology, biodiversity), infrastructure (energy production, transport, nuclear safety), agriculture (rural development), geological survey and other priorities. The sectoral priorities of the Czech official development assistance (ODA) include also basic social services, such as basic education (primary), health care and nutrition, safe water and sanitation. The Czech Republic is especially well placed to support the strengthening of the partner countries’ institutional capacities based on its own recent experience with the political and economic transition.
In January 2002, the Government agreed on the “Concept of Czech ODA for 2002 — 2007”. Its purpose was to define new principles and priorities of development cooperation, building the whole strategy on principles of development partnership, recipient responsibility and improved efficiency and transparency.
The first principle means that not only the willingness of the Czech site but also the demand from recipient countries is crucial.
The concept also introduced a two-phase approach to the modernization and reform of the Czech ODA program. While the new strategy underlines that the main responsibility for implementation of ODA projects rests with line ministries, it also deals with the role of the later on established Development Centre. The Centre, as the main supporting expert body for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, undertakes activities like appraisal of proposals for long term programs and specific development assistance projects, monitoring and evaluation, cooperation with institutions of ODA donor countries, training of experts working in the ODA program, and coordinating research in the area of development assistance. Based on the concept, the Czech Development Agency should be established, subject of the Government decision.
The Agency will build upon the institutional and human capacities of the existing Development Centre.
The Czech government has identified eight priority countries for long-term development cooperation:
Angola, Zambia, Vietnam, Moldova, Mongolia, Yemen, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro. The priority countries receive 75% of Czech ODA, non-priority countries 25%. Planned financial resources for particular priority countries for the period 2006-2008 are indicated in the Table 20.
Table 20: Planned financial resources (CZK million)
2006 2007 2008
Angola 14.6 25.9 32
Bosnia and Herzegovina 30.1 67.1 82
Jemen 14.4 29.7 31.7
Moldova 20.9 31.4 35.5
Mongolia 28.4 50.9 63.1
Serbia and Montenegro 42.2 94.6 96.3
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Vietnam 21.4 42.6 47.3
Zambia 7.5 21 21
Priority countries total 179.5 363.2 408.9
Source: Institute of International Relations by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Foreign Development Cooperation of the Czech Republic; 2006
The Czech - Moldovan cooperation is based on the Principles of International Development Cooperation, approved by the Czech Government in Resolution 302 of March 31, 2004, which established that an essential component of Czech International Development Cooperation (IDC) is comprised of programs of development cooperation with priority countries. The Czech Government has identified the Republic of Moldova as one of the priority countries, primarily due to the following:
Need for development co-operation
Czech experience with transition and EU accession Successful development co-operation already underway
Effects of the mass migration of the population of Moldova on other European countries (incl. the Czech Republic)
Potential for export of Czech products and technology to Moldova The responsible bodies are:
Ministry of the Interior Ministry of Environment Ministry of Foreign Affairs Czech Embassy in Bucharest
Development Centre at the Institute of International Relations in Prague
Within the framework of its development cooperation with Moldova, the Czech Republic will focus on the sectors of environmental protection and human resources development, mainly through efforts aimed at stabilization of the social and economic situation and preventing Moldovan migration. At the same time, cooperation in the area of education will be intensified, primarily by increasing the exchange of experience among scientific and research institutes in both countries. These areas are of great importance for the economic and social development of Moldova and will affect other sectors as well (e.g.
manufacturing, agriculture, the food industry, etc.).
Indicative summary of the areas for development intervention in the environmental sector:
Cooperation in the area of water protection (pollution clean-up, preventative approaches in industry, etc.)
Cooperation in the hydrometeorology and climatology sector Support of biological diversity protection
Indicative summary of the areas for development intervention in the sectors of human resources, migration prevention, and stabilization of potential emigrants:
Support of the capacities of the Moldovan public sector (police, border guards, etc.) while establishing effective migration management
Social stabilization of potential migrants through the creation of alternatives to migration (strengthening human capital, job creation)
Indicative summary of the areas of development intervention in the education, science and research sector:
65 Preparation for implementation of the Bologna Declaration at institutions of higher education in
Moldova
Development of curricula in the fields taught at Moldovan universities
Introduction of environmental aspects within instruction, and improvement of instructors’
pedagogical skills Cross-cutting issues:
Strengthening the cultural, economic and social ties between the Czech Republic and Moldova, including the promotion of co-operation among education and research institutions
Strengthening the capacities of the Moldovan public sector and the transfer of experiences in the areas of economic and social transformation, and establishment of the rule of law
Promotion of the creation of a functioning and stable civil society, strengthening the role of citizens’
initiatives and non-governmental organizations Promotion of community development
Active promotion of gender equality in society, support of the Moldovan Government’s efforts to eradicate the abuse of women and children
Table 21: Overview of the on-going CR IDC projects in Moldova
Project Name Responsible Ministry of the CR Implementation Period Prevention of Illegal Migration from
Moldova to the CR and Assistance in the Creation of Asylum Infrastructure in Moldova
Ministry of the Interior 2001–2005
Support for the Development of
Migration Management in Moldova Ministry of the Interior 2004 Assistance in Stabilizing Potential
Migrants and Preventing the Irregular Migration of Minors
Ministry of the Interior 2005–2007 (planned)
Improving the Environment in Moldova by Employing Czech Environmental Techniques and Equipment Manufactured in Joint Czech-Moldovan Enterprises
Ministry of the Environment 2005–2008 (planned)
Training Specialists in Practical Knowledge of the Environmental Sciences
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2004–2005
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, www.mzv.cz
Until 2005 the focus of Czech ODA for Moldova was dominantly on migration and environment (see Table 21). In the future the project of prevention of migration should be reduced and the focus on environment and education should be strengthen (see Table 22).
66 In mid-2007 an interim evaluation of development cooperation between the Czech Republic and Moldova will take place, which might provide an opportunity to jointly identify preferred fields.
Table 22: Allocated financial resources for development cooperation with Moldova (2006-2008, CZK mil.)
2006 2007 2008
Education 3.5 6.3 7.8
Social development 1.2 2 3.2
Environment 7 15.6 18.6
Migration and safety 8.7 4.1 2
Agriculture 0 2.4 2.9
Other 0.5 1 1
Total 20.9 31.4 35.5
Source: Institute of International Relations by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Foreign Development Cooperation of the Czech Republic; 2006
To summarize, the Czech government selected Moldova as one of the priority countries. Based on this status Moldova has better access to financial means in the form of development aid. The coordinator of ODA is still Ministry of Foreign Affairs with some competencies delegated to particular ministries.
These ministries submit projects within Czech ODA program and within the amount of allocated financial resources from the budget. Projects are based on the Czech ODA strategy, which draws from the Moldovan strategy of development and therefore reflects the demand of Moldova to a certain extent.
At the beginning projects were targeted to solve migration issues, currently the focus shifts towards protection of environment and education. Financial means are distributed and allocated each year and must be approved by the Czech government decision. Currently, allocation of funds has already been decided for 2007. However, for the year 2008 only preliminary prospect based on planned continuation of already launched projects exists and the distribution can thus be influenced by Moldovan side.
Although there might be space for new projects both in terms of financial resources and sectoral changes, until now the Institute of international Relations did not register any remarkable effort from Moldovan side to change targets of Czech development aid for Moldova.
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