EURASIA FOUNDATION:East Europe Foundation (EEF) starts its activity!

EURASIA FOUNDATION:East Europe Foundation (EEF) starts its activity!

• 26.04.2010

Eurasia Foundation (EF) is proud to announce that its new partner and successor organization in Moldova - East Europe Foundation (EEF) was registered on November 3, 2009 and will officially start its activities on June 1, 2010. The official launch of EEF in Moldova took place on April 15, 2010. The new foundation will continue Eurasia Foundation’s rich, 11-year legacy of promoting democracy and the growth of a market economy in Moldova. At the moment EF is in process transferring ownership of strategy, finances and programs to East Europe Foundation, based on the EF model of success.

“For almost two decades Eurasia Foundation has been honored to work alongside our partners in Moldova who are dedicated to improving the schools, businesses, and government in the communities where they live and work,” said W. Horton Beebe-Center, Eurasia Foundation President. “By launching East Europe Foundation in Moldova and linking it to the Eurasia Foundation Network, we demonstrate our enduring commitment to the citizens of this country and our belief in a stable, modern future for Moldova.”

East Europe Foundation will continue building democratic systems in Moldova, empowering Moldovan citizens and fostering sustainable development through education, technical assistance and grant programs that promote civil society development, strengthen media, enhance good governance and build economic prosperity.

The supreme governing body of East Europe Foundation is its Board of Directors. On April 14, 2010 the EEF Board of Directors met and approved the newly established foundation’s development strategy, program and finance policies and activity plan.

“The establishment of East Europe Foundation in Moldova is a new brick in building democracy and a committed society in our country, and it is my pleasure to be part of this new foundation and the process of change that it has started,” said the chair of the EEF Board of Directors, Silva Radu, who is executive president of Union Fenosa Moldova, a Spanish natural gas company. “The programs that are to be carried out in the region and the issues stressed by EEF in Moldova are of great importance [as they] foster sustainable development and will continue to strengthen existing achievements.”

EEF will focus its resources towards implementing three main program areas: Economic Development, Good Governance, and Social Action. In all its programs, EEF is guided by the principles of equality and non-discrimination.

The goal of the Economic Development program is to create grassroots economic opportunities for Moldovan citizens in rural and urban communities by assisting in creating a business environment that encourages foreign direct investment and to develop initiatives focused on promoting a free market economy. Economic development efforts will include projects in energy efficiency and alternative energy sources, as well as support for business and economics education initiatives.

One of the new initiatives of the above mentioned program is the launch of the Youth Bank project designed to encourage young people’s participation in social and economic development in their communities. The unique approach of the program is that young people will take decisions about how local development efforts are managed. The project will increase young people\'s participation in community social development by building the capacities and expertise of local youth and the community organizations that support them.

The second program, Good Governance, is focused on sustaining the successes EF accomplished in promoting free and fair elections, European integration, continued anticorruption initiatives, policy development, and implementation and support for independent media development.

One such initiative is the National Participation Council. The NPC is comprised of 30 civil society organizations, including EFM. At its first sitting, on February 2, 2010 the members of the council elected EEF President, Sorin Mereacre, as the NPC Chair. As of today, the Chair participates in meetings of the Cabinet of Ministers providing feedback from NPC members to the Prime-Minister and Ministers.

Via its Social Action program, EEF will engage private companies in addressing Moldova’s development needs by facilitating partnerships among NGOs, the private sector and local governments. EEF will raise public awareness and educate local corporations on corporate social responsibility issues.

Through its open door grants procedures EEF will continue supporting innovative initiatives submitted by local NGOs, media and other non-profit organizations.

“I have been part of Eurasia Foundation for more than 12 years and I am proud of it,” said EF Country Director Sorin Mereacre, who will now serve as EEF’s president. “The experience gained and precious knowledge gathered by management and staff over the years with this organization will be successfully transferred to the localized foundation. I must also say how thankful I am for the valuable support offered by our main donors - the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida/Asdi). This support is crucial for the development of our country and society and we can only respond with quality results in our work. We hope that in the coming period such support will come not only from international donors, but also from international and national businesses, that can truly make positive changes for a better future for our citizens. I am also sure that the new foundation will continue cooperating with all its partners from the non-governmental sector, the media, the government and others, in order to contribute to the development of a strong civil society in our country and a better life for our people.”

Eurasia Foundation has invested more than $400 million through more than 8,400 grants and operating programs in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

During the last 17 years Eurasia Foundation in Moldova has invested more than $6 million and awarded grants to more than 150 Moldovan NGOs.

The Eurasia Foundation’s activities in Moldova were possible with financial support from USAID, Sida/Asdi, the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, OSCE, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova, the British Embassy in Chisinau and Philip Morris International.

For more detailed information, please contact East Europe Foundation Communications Officer Carolina Blajin at (+373-22) 235-343 ext. 118 or cblajin@eurasia.md