Ambassador Tefft Visits Donetsk for America Days

Posted by: Tim Piergalski, Political Officer

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Donetsk City

I recently had the opportunity to visit Donetsk, an industrial city in eastern Ukraine, with the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John F. Tefft.  Donetsk is a steel city, a Ukrainian Pittsburgh, which has benefitted from strong central government investment in its infrastructure.  The city center’s roads are smooth, and we observed workers planting grass and flowers on medians, a great contrast to cash-strapped Kyiv.  Donetsk lacks the historical buildings which dot the rest of Ukraine, having been founded in 1869 by Welshman John Hughes to establish coal mines and steel mills.

Opening of Ivan Dudkin’s “America the Unexpected” photo exhibit at Window on America Center at Donetsk Oblast Library

Ambassador Tefft went to Donetsk to take part in America Days, a multi-day celebration and exposition of American culture.  It was interesting to hear the questions the students asked him at an education fair (visas are always on everyone’s mind!), and I learned, quite to my surprise, that students in Donetsk play American football.  The Ambassador also opened a photo exhibit, which emphasized views of America as seen through Ukrainian eyes (and lenses).  We met with the mayor and the governor, and what surprised me most was that a horde of journalists were present throughout both meetings, eagerly writing down and recording everything the Governor and Ambassador said to each other.

Meeting with Oleksandr Lukyanchenko, Donetsk Mayor

We also visited the site of a Peace Corps Volunteer who teaches at the Donetsk Institute of Tourism.  The Ambassador took questions from the students, who showed off their impeccable knowledge of English.  In the same vein, we visited two USAID-funded projects.  The first project helps the Donetsk Court of Appeals improve the transparency of the judicial process.  The chief judge couldn’t say enough about the improvements over the past few years, thanks in large part to USAID grant money and her partnership with a local NGO which conducted independent surveys of court users to determine whether they felt they got a fair shake at court.  Perceptions of fairness are increasing, even among those who lost their case, and perception of corruption is decreasing.  We also visited a tuberculosis hospital, which has halved the mortality rate from tuberculosis in Donetsk oblast over the past ten years since the hospital has been working with USAID.  The

Ambassador Tefft Visits TB Hospital in Donetsk

doctors and staff at the hospital had an obvious passion for their work that was evident when they told the Ambassador about the various projects that they were implementing.  On the day of our visit, the hospital was being audited by the WHO to see whether it would become a WHO training site.  All of these visits indicated how important our efforts are, and how a few small projects can make a big difference in the lives of many.

On the flight back, I collected my thoughts about the trip and realized just how much we had seen in under three days – we had 19 different events but hadn’t even come close to including everything we wanted.  But, it left me yearning to see more of Donetsk, the Donbass region, and Ukraine and visit other places with stories to tell.

 

Ambassador Tefft Visits Ivano-Frankivsk

Marc Gartner, Economic Officer

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Amb. Tefft and Mykhaylo Vyshyvanyuk, Head of the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast Administration at the oblast border

In mid-November, I had the chance of a lifetime: to travel in Ivano-Frankivsk with our Ambassador and see first-hand the positive impact U.S.-Ukraine cooperation has made for residents of the region.  Ivano-Frankivsk is one of the more beautiful oblasts in the country, with gorgeous rustic villages nestled in verdant mountain valleys, a regional capital (Ivano-Frankivsk) with splendid churches and centuries-old streets, and some of the most hospitable and welcoming people in Ukraine.  Over the course of two days, I witnessed a culture that looks with pride at its traditions and at the same time is intent on its future.

The Ambassador went to Ivano-Frankivsk to participate in a symposium on shale gas to which the Embassy had brought a number of U.S. experts. While in town, he had meetings with the governor and mayor, alumni of U.S.-government-sponsored exchange programs, and Peace Corps volunteers.  For me, one of our most interesting meetings was at the Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University of Ivano-Frankivsk.  This excellent higher-educational establishment has been collaborating with the

Nano-Materials Center at the Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University of Ivano-Frankivsk

United States to build a novel research lab – the Nano-Materials Center, one of only two in the entire country.  Both the United States and Ukraine have contributed approximately $300,000 each since 2009 to develop the research center under a CRDF grant.  In a meeting hall of about 35 people, including professors, graduate and undergraduate students, and local officials, we saw a fascinating presentation by the center’s lead scientist on the history of the laboratory and its areas of focus.  The lab was performing cutting-edge research and development in engineering as diverse as nanotech manufacturing and lithium batteries, applications which could be commercialized and advance high-tech industry in Ukraine.  The presentation segued into a tour of the entire facility, which included some of the most advanced lab machines in the country.  I noticed the Ambassador was extremely impressed to hear that the fruit of U.S.-Ukrainian cooperation could advance technology in a host of areas and that the lab was networking with other labs in the European Union.

Later that day, I had a few free minutes to meet up with Yuriy, a tour guide, to learn more about the history of Ivano-Frankivsk city.  Yuriy led me to the two main historical squares of the city, explaining how the city had changed over time, from a walled stronghold to a market center of the region.  We walked through the old city wall, which is now filled with attractive art galleries, and entered the Cathedral of the Holy Resurrection, a beautiful 300-year old Greek Orthodox church that would not be out of place in the heart of Paris.  As people came and went in the church, I realized that Ivano-Frankivsk represented both the past and the future of Ukraine, respect for tradition and spiritual enlightenment and expectation for a bright future of new ideas and international collaboration.

 

A Taste of Alaska

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Posted by: Randall Hager, Agricultural Attaché

U.S. Ambassador John Tefft at Alaska Seafood presentation at “Fish World Oceaniia”

Although it may not sound like an activity that fits within a diplomat’s usual duties, introducing new foods to Ukrainian consumers is an important part of our responsibility–and one that we enjoy.  The Foreign Agricultural Service, an office within the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, takes pride in providing opportunities for Ukrainians to sample new products from the United States, and at the same time develop stronger bilateral trade and business.

On May 25, we had the pleasure of working closely with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute and local company “Fish World Oceaniia” to highlight the value, quality, and taste of American seafood at their facilities just outside of Kyiv.  The event was opened by Oceaniia leadership and U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Tefft. On May 26-27, visitors could test Alaskan seafood for themselves, and consumers’ comments were very positive.

Although Ukrainians have a tradition of consuming seafood, we highlighted the value and taste of “Wild, Natural, and Sustainable” Alaskan Pollack, Pink Salmon, Salmon Roe, and Flounder, a range of products that either have already or could well find a place on the Ukrainian table.

Alaska Seafood

Alaska’s seafood industry expends considerable time and effort to not only promote their industry’s products in international markets, but to maintain their fishery industry in an environmentally sound and sustainable manner.  Ukraine’s consumers discovered high quality U.S. seafood in the mid 2000’s with U.S. salmon and salmon roe.  Since that time, exports of U.S. fish have grown. We know that in recent years Ukrainian consumers’ preferences are slowly migrating from traditional less expensive fish as disposable income has grown.  This has opened a new market segment for U.S. suppliers. Additional demand has come from the developing Ukrainian domestic processing industry and food service sector that consumes more and more fish.

In 2011, Ukraine’s import volume exceeded the best pre-crisis years.  Last year, trade in seafood with the United States increased by 49 percent.  In terms of trade volume, the United States became Ukraine’s second largest partner after Norway with $47 million of exports.  This trade volume is significant, and beneficial to Ukrainian retailers and processors.

Like all consumers of Alaska seafood products all over the world, Ukrainian consumers deserve a top quality product that will satisfy their need for natural and safe food – that is also delicious.  Working with Ukrainians to help them to learn about and ultimately enjoy these products is one of my favorite aspects of my work.

More information on Alaska Seafood can be found at: http://www.alaskaseafood.org

 

World Intellectual Property Day: Time to Better Protect Ukraine’s “Visionary Innovators”

Posted by: Alex Ryan, Economic Officer

World IP Day Theme: Visionary Innovators

World Intellectual Property Day was April 26 – a day better known in Ukraine as the anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster, but is also the anniversary of the founding of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 1967. We decided to mark World Intellectual Property Day one day later out of respect for the victims of Chornobyl.

This year’s theme for World Intellectual Property Day — “visionary innovators” — recognizes the special contributions made by artists, scientists, and other innovators all over the world. Visit the website of the WIPO for more information.

The protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) is a frequent topic of discussion during bilateral economic discussions between the United States and Ukraine, including at the annual U.S.-Ukraine Trade and Investment Council (TIC). At the 2010 TIC, the U.S. and Ukraine agreed to a wide-ranging Action Plan to improve the protection of IPR. Unfortunately, the Government of Ukraine has made minimal progress in implementing the components of the plan. This does not only hurt U.S. companies operating in Ukraine. The poor IPR environment in Ukraine equally hurts Ukrainian companies and Ukrainian innovators—its scientists and artists.

Why is a robust system of IPR protection important for Ukraine? Most basically, protecting IPR is essential to promote the creativity and ingenuity of researchers, scientists, artists, and engineers, who are at the forefront of technological developments and innovative solutions. If people don’t think they will be paid for their work, it takes away the motivation to create and innovate. Without protecting intellectual property, the Government of Ukraine risks stifling innovation before it begins. If Ukraine wants to become a modern economy, it must work to improve its protection of IPR.