There will be two important outcomes of this joint process of the Government and the UNCT:

A. A long-term national plan through to 2015 to outline the policies, institutions, and investments needed to achieve the MDGs;
B. Integration of the long-term plan into operative policy documents such as the revised Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper and the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework

Individual role and responsibilities of the online volunteers, 'areas of expertise', and relevance within the applicant's daily tasks:

* Volunteers should be experts in the below five points, whose contribution is aimed at assisting in the development of collaboration with Government Working Groups concerning the Short-Term Priorities for the Governments.

"Develop a single overarching national development strategy that sets priorities for donor investments, sectoral reforms, the MTBF and annual budgets."

Volunteers will help towards this objective by researching the relevant fields listed below; make recommendations regarding priorities in the establishment of sustainable Monitoring Indicators, governing the five fields listed below:

1. Strengthen the role of Aid Coordination Unit (ACU) in coordinating, prioritizing donor activities and facilitate regional cooperation on economic, social and environmental issues.

Target 1: Practical integration of principles for sustainable aid coordination into country policies and programs.
Target 2: Ensure transparency and accountability through balancing supply of project aid by a multitude of donors with the equally diversified demand expressed by implementing institutions.
Target 3: Technical cooperation within the following: Capacity building assistance and training for improved aid coordination and management; Direct aid coordination in cooperation with national institutions; and Assistance for improved public sector management and development.

2. Develop together with government and donors, sustainable debt management to reach a level of debt consistent with achieving the MDGs.

Target 1: Priorities on national societal development: Covers the structure of society and long-term development dialogues concerning, e.g., poverty alleviation, sustainable human development, national governance and popular participation.
Target 2: Provide a forum for dialogue between government and donors; Collection, processing and dissemination of information on development cooperation; Coordination within sub-groups of donors such as the UN system; and Mobilization of resources and fund-raising for national development programmes.
Target 3: Impacts on dept relief from re-allocation of existing aid.

3. Identify, together with donors, the short-term priority activities that will bring about the biggest positive impact on the MDGs.

Target 1: Mandates for coherent substantive integration of aid into national priorities and programmes.
Target 2: Macro-economic and financial policies, including monetary and fiscal stabilities issues related to the overall size of aid commitments in the form of grants, credits and loans, as well as the achievement of agreed MDGs aid targets.

4. Short-Term priorities for the donors, coordination in the country to avoid duplication of activities.

Target 1: Establish profile of aid commitments and the contents of related development dialogues aimed at reducing competitive market place within the development cooperation and aid coordination communities.
Target 2: Concerning the procedural integration of aid into national institutions- Establish reliable coordination and management methodology aimed at harmonization of aid and budget cycles, minimization of the administrative burden on donors and recipients.

5. Re-channel existing aid to MDG-related investments.

Target 1: Coherent review of existing and procured aid.
Target 2: Impacts of re-channelling existing resources.
Target 3: Establish values for re-allocation of existing resources.
Target 4: Review current low-priority spending into higher priority MDG investments.

Country Details, Activities and Current Situation Regarding MDGs:
(Provided by UNDP Country Office)

UNDP Country Office in Kyrgyz Republic (PDF2.5Mb)
Kyrgyz Republic Country Programme Action Plan (WORD760kb)

UNDP Country Office in Uzbekistan (WORD29kb)

Current Volunteers:

* Lorna Malicsi; Laguna Los Banos, Philippines

* Angela Paulk; New York City, USA
Area of responsibility: Tajikistan

* Ross Imrie; British Columbia North Saanich, Canada

* Binod Adhikari; Chitwan, Nepal

* Stephen Settimi; Washington, DC, USAID, USA

* Tadeja Prosen; Škofljica, Slovenia
Area of responsibility: East European Countries, Russian Federation

* Aigoul Abdoubaetova; VIC, Australia
Area of responsibility: Kyrgyzstan
Field of expertise: 5. Re-channel existing aid to MDG-related investments

* Satishkumar Belliethathan; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Area of responsibility: Kazakhstan
3. Identify, together with donors, the short-term priority activities that will bring about the biggest positive impact on the MDGs
4. Short-Term priorities for the donors, coordination in the country to avoid duplication of activities.
Field of expertise: 5. Re-channel existing aid to MDG-related investments

* Anna Torraca; New York City, USA
Area of responsibility: Tajikistan
Field of expertise:
2. Develop together with government and donors, sustainable debt management to reach a level of debt consistent with achieving the MDGs;
3. Identify, together with donors, the short-term priority activities that will bring about the biggest positive impact on the MDGs.

Upon completion of the project, final results will be forwarded to United Nations for review.

For additional information on this project, please check the UN website: Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Needs Assessment for Entire Central Asia Project (ECAP) for full details. To participate visit the above UN link or contact, via email to Mr Iain Muse at: UN ECAP

Key organizations working in the Central Asian Region:

INTAS: (The International association for the promotion of co-operation with scientists from the New Independent States of the former Soviet Union (NIS))
INTAS supports both fundamental and applied research in all fields of science, such as: Physics; Chemistry; Life Sciences; Earth Sciences & Environment; Economics, Social & Human Sciences; Mathematics & IT; Space, Aeronautics & Engineering.
Main Task document (WORD48kb)

"The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the U.S. Government or the USAID".