EDGE (Economic Development, Governance, and Enterprise Growth)

The Albania Support for Private Sector (SPS) Activity facilitated sustainable economic growth in Albania through initiatives aimed at enhancing private sector competitiveness and improving access to finance. SPS investments totaled $2,338,000 into 21 SMEs, which surpassed the original target of $800,000. These investments focused on the expanding production facilities within the agriculture and wood industries, thus increasing the competitiveness of their respective value chains.

SPS worked to improve the Agriculture and Rural Development Agency’s capacity to evaluate grant applications from agribusinesses for EU Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance in Rural Development (IPARD) funding. It also bolstered the agency’s staff proficiency in preparing for accreditation under the EU IPARD’s program.

The Albania, North Macedonia, and Serbia Promoting Regional Integration through Networking and Cooperation (PRINC) promoted sustainable regional connections among the three economies. We facilitated communication among chambers, associations, and business support organizations to address implementation gaps in legal and regulatory reform collaboratively. Though PRINC, we enabled the sharing of best practices from the E-Commerce Educational Academy of Serbia with North Macedonia and Albania. This included the development of instructional modules focusing on start-up, legal and trade practices, accompanied by a promotional video highlighting the benefits of e-commerce and the transition of traditional businesses into e-commerce practices.

The Armenia Business Enabling Environment (ABEE) Activity improved the trade and investment business environment in Armenia by deepening competition.

• Helped Armenia diversify its export markets by conducting a study on “Alternative Export Markets for Armenian Key Impacted Product Groups.” This identified vulnerable products affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and suggested alternative export markets. IDG presented the results to public and private stakeholders and during the event the Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan noted that the study would lay the foundation for Armenia’s Export Strategy.
• Prepared a “Food Security Landscape Assessment” to support the Government of Armenia (GOAM) to improve the national food system, making it more sustainable, market-oriented, nutrition-sensitive, and resilient. Due to economic sanctions and Russia’s war in Ukraine, food insecurity in Armenia has risen. The assessment results guided the development of a new food security strategy and action plan for 2023-2026, which were approved by the GOAM.
• Aided in establishing the Regulatory Impact Assessment Department at the Prime Minister’s Office. It provided capacity building and training to promote evidence-based, transparent, and cost-effective policymaking.

The Moldova Competitiveness Transition Activity (MCTA) focused on providing economic recovery and post-pandemic assistance to Moldova’s tourism sector. IDG offered technical assistance and support through a grants program totaling $1,213,815 to local tourism micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and flagship organizations in the light industry and tourism sectors, and institutional capacity building support of these organizations. $554,967 was awarded for in-kind resiliency grants to 40 MSMEs, including guesthouses, tourism providers, and unique small businesses, in response to the Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Ukraine State-Owned Enterprises Reform Rapid Response Activity (SOERR) provided professional support to state owned enterprises and reform efforts, including support for reforms within the real estate sector. A key accomplishment was the privatization of the Dnipro Hotel, which exceeded expectations at auction, with four bids over 1 billion Ukrainian Hryvnia. The hotel ultimately sold for 1.111 billion UAH (approximately US$41 million) to a Ukrainian bidder. We also assisted Ukrainian authorities in procuring Automated Valuation Model software for assessing property values, enhancing the accuracy of real estate valuations and facilitating effective resource mobilization.

Through the Ukraine Investment Potential Activity (IPA), IDG released a report titled “A New Ukraine: Catalyzing Investment in Freedom, Peace, and Prosperity.” The report was presented by Administrator Power during the 2023 United States-Ukraine Partnership Forum—a collaborative effort initiated by the United States Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the Department of State, Department of Commerce, and USAID, and supported by the Embassy of Ukraine. The report serves as a clear and concise roadmap for the various stakeholders involved in reconstructing Ukraine’s economy. It outlines eight important reform areas, including establishing a competitive business enabling environment, expediting the country’s EU accession, strengthening institutions, and others, to propel the nation toward sustained growth and prosperity.

The Investment Transparency Activity (ITA) focuses on collaborating with governments to enhance their capacity in establishing and regulating ultimate beneficial ownership registries. IDG supports progress in adopting and implementing public procurement laws, public-private partnership laws, and concession laws aligned with the EU Acquis requirements across the region. The initiative involves providing training to government officials on cost-benefit analysis for public procurements and enhancing functionality and efficiency of ePublic Procurement Portals.  We also organize study tours to Poland for investment promotion agencies to glean insights from best practices in attracting investment.