Development Cooperation of the Slovak Republic: Experiences, Challenges, and Strategies

1. DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION of the Slovak Republic EXPERIENCES and CHALLENGESpresented by Tomas Bičan, DCM of the Slovak Embassy in Sofia Valeria Zolcerova Development and Humanitarian Aid Dpt. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the SR Bratislava, April 20, 2012

2. KeyDocumentsOfficialDevelopmentCooperation • Mid-Term Strategy of the Official Development Cooperation of the SR (ODA) for 2009 – 2013. • National Programmes ODA established annually and approved by the Slovak Government. • Law N. 617/2007 Coll. Of Laws on the ODA of the SR. • Humanitarian Aid Programme approved by the Slovak Government in 2006 (will be revised in 2012).

3. Mid-Term Strategy of the Slovak ODA 2009-2013 Territorial Priorities of the ODA: Afghanistan, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kirghizstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Mozambique, Serbia,Uzbekistan, Montenegro, South Sudan, Tadzhikistan, Ukraine, Vietnam. Sector Priorities (Comparative Advantages): • Development of Democracy • Infrastructure (social, health and education affairs) • Promotion of the environment, promotion of the natural word, agriculture, climatic changes, food aid.

4. Official Development Assistance 2011Substantial Changes ► Narrowing the number of priority countries - Kenya, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Bosnia Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova ► Sector Priorities – Emphasis on Strategic Issues as: Democracy building, Infrastructure (social, health care, education), environment protection, agriculture development, food security. ► Dividing of the Slovak Bilateral ODA into two basic components: • Standard Bilateral Development Cooperation: Kenya, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Bosnia Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldavia. • Technical Cooperation: Western Balkan, Eastern Partnership (Belarus, Georgia, Moldavia, Ukraine) by supporting reforms and European perspectives + programme CETIR (Centre for Transmission of the Transformation Expertise from Integration).

5. Selection of Priority Countries • Political and Economic Criteria – coherence with Slovak and EU policy, comparative advantages, Slovakia´s economic activities. • Development Criteria – level of social development, urgency for assistance, development and reforms, coordination with other donors. • Logistical Criteria – presence of a Slovak diplomatic mission, activities of Slovak participants (NGOs, companies), historical bonds. • Success Stories So Far – sustainability and follow-up.

6. ODA in 2011 Total ODA in 2011 – 61,9 mil. €(0,09 % / GNI) - bilateral ODA 15,4 mil. € ٭Standard Bilateral Development Aid – grants and projects, scholarships, financial contributions (mikrogrants), capacity building, development education. ٭Technical Cooperation – Western Balkan, Eastern Partnership: Transformation Expertise Handover – support for reforms during the integration process, emphasis on economic development, civil society, business environment, capacity building, public institutions, public finance management); CETIR: Experts Partnerships, Study Tours for Experts from and to Slovakia, Seminars, Presentations, Workshops. Joint Programming – South Sudan (health care - with the UK) and Tunisia (Tunisia Task Force - Co-Chairing with the Netherlands). ٭ Multilateral Development Cooperation of the SR – contributions to international organizations (2011 – 46,5 mil. €).

7. ODA Structure in 2011

8. National Programme of the Slovak ODA 2012 Allocation of the Slovak ODA 2012 – 68,6 mil. € Forms of the Slovak BilateralODA and geographical focuses: • Bilateral Development Cooperation (Afghanistan, Kenya, South Sudan) – health care, education, agriculture, socio-economic development, support of agriculture production, environment protection; • Technical Cooperation (Western Balkans, Eastern Partnership – Ukraine, Belarus, Moldavia, Georgia; South Partnership – Egypt, Tunisia); • Private Sector Involvement (Ukraine, B&H, Montenegro, Moldavia, Kenya) – energy efficiency, regional development (tourism), standardization. • Projects co-financed with the US government – Western Balkans, Ukraine, Moldavia and Georgia (development of democratic citizenship, economic development, media development etc.).

9. Challenges of the Slovak ODA • Strengthening the MoFA of the SR´s leadership and coordination of the Slovak ODA. • Higher effectiveness of the ODA – based on recommendations of the OECD, result orientation, more effective communication, moving away from a model of „many small projects“. • Capacity building and using the transformation experience of the Slovak Republic. • Strengthen ODA statistics and reporting. • Global development cooperation,volunteering • Private sector involvement in development cooperation. • Monitoring and evaluation of projects (external, internal)

10. National Strategy of the Global Education2012 - 2016 • The strategy is in line with the Statement of the Policy of the Slovak Government: imposes the MoFA and the MoEducation to prepare such a document. • The SR is the first country within the EU12, where such a document is approved. Main Goals of the Strategy: • To incorporate the global education into the pre-primary, primary, secondary and tertiary education. • To increase the importance of global education in the raising of awareness among the wider public. • To expand cooperation and partnership in the field of global education.

11. Micro-Grant Scheme • Successful tool of the Slovak ODA in 2011 – 96 projects in total amount of € 370 thous. • Provided by Slovak Embassies (Belgrade, Sarajevo, Bucharest (for Moldova), Podgorica, Baghdad). • Awarded upon the quality assessment made by the embassies and the MoFA of the SR. • Maximum € 5000/micro-grant. • Emphasis should be put on the development aspect of micro-grant projects and sustainable development.

12. Volunteering • 2011 – the year of European volunteering. • The MoFA of the SR realizes the importance of the volunteering. In 2012 a system of volunteers´ deployment was worked out. • The important role of the MoFA will be to find ways to involve Slovak volunteers by respecting European principles of volunteering. • MoFA will contribute on volunteering by providing funds.

13. ODA Proces Programming MoFA- Development and Humanitarian Aid Department Coordination Committee, chaired by the State Secretary Project Management Slovak Agency for International Development Cooperation (SAIDC) Project Committee

14. Slovak Agency For International Development Cooperation (SAIDC) • Established in 2007 – based on the Law on the Official Development Cooperation of the SR • SAIDC deals with the activities of the Slovak ODA based on National Programmes. • Accordance with the rules of the aid effectiveness, coherence and flexibility. • Management of project cycle, micro-grant schemes, technical cooperation, humanitarian aid.

15. SAIDC – Project Cycle Project cycle: • Call for Proposals (upon the National Programme approval) • Project Proposals - sent to the SAIDC • Administration of the projects and recommendations for the Project Committee. • Submission of Projects for the Project Committee at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the SR. • Project Committee Decision - Selection of Projects. • Contracting and Coordination of Projects. • Implementation of the Projects – by organizations in beneficiary countries.

16. Humanitarian Aid of the SR • Forms – financial (projects, grants, contributions) a in-kind (provided by the Ministry of Interior of the SR). • Humanitarian Aid provided in 2011 - Haiti, Japan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, The Horn of Africa, Pakistan, Turkey (Total financial and in-kind - € 538 thous.). • 2012 - allocated 250 thous. € by the MoFA, ad-hoc (upon request) by the Ministry of Interior. • Close coordination with the European Commission – Monitoring Information Centre (MoFA, Interior Ministry, NGOs). • Progress with the preparation of a new programme on the humanitarian aid of the SR (the first half of 2012)

17. Humanitarian Aid provided by the MoFA of SR in 2011

18. Humanitarian In-Kind Assistance provided by the Ministry of Interior of the SR in 2011

19. Project Example: IRAQ Project: Employment of Vulnerable Women and their Families in Baghdad Priority: Support the Income of Women The aim: Direct support for families with emphasis on women´s involvement – taylor´s workshops at home. The project supports families by giving them sewing-machines, the possibility to generate self income.

20. AFGHANISTANStrengthen Development and Reduce Poverty in Low Income Rural Communities by Animal Breeding • Support of socio-economic status of disadvantaged communities with emphasis on women´s involvement. • Reducing poverty. • Improvement in Food Safety.

21. SOUTH SUDAN Agriculture Renewal by Up-To-Date Technologies in Maridi • Fight against the climate change – adjusting in the field of agriculture. • Agriculture – main source of livelihood. • Construction of irrigation system.

22. KENYA Girls Rehabilitation Facility, Rongai Rehabilitation Facility for street children (girls) – opened in 2009; The facility offers accommodation, food, safety and full complex of social services for two years; At present – 22 girls in the facility, aged from 7 – 12 years; Everyday management of the centre by a volunteer from Slovakia;

23. Thank You !MoFA of the SR, Development and Humanitarian Aid Depart.Valeria.zolcerova@mzv.sk