News

On 13 December 2011, the 3^rd meeting of the National Steering Committee of the UNDP-GEF project “Improving the Financial Sustainability of the Carpathian System of Protected Areas” took place in an open session format, at the UN House. This official session of the project supervisory body was combined with a public awareness event gathering numerous personalities representing national authorities, private sector, civil society, media and other stakeholders. Ivan Patzaichin, Dumitru Prunariu, Grigore Lese, Camelia Sucu, Cristina Trepcea (CAN), Petru Lificiu (Vice-President ANRE), Traian Solovastru (General Manager Romsilva) are among the distinguished guests welcome at the UN House by Ms. Yesim Oruc, UNDP Resident Representative.

The main objective of the event was to convey to the public and key national stakeholders the key messages regarding the sustainable management and conservation of biodiversity: the need to cover the costs of parks administration through budgetary allocations, improved financial management systems, business plans and novel mechanisms of payments for ecosystem services; and the economic valuation of ecosystem services, such as clean water, soil protection, carbon sequestration and landscape conservation, which needs to substantiate the political message on protected areas.

The main goal of the project is to secure the financial sustainability of Romania’s Carpathian Network of Protected Areas (CNPA), which could further serve as a model for replication to the entire Carpathian Network of Protected Areas. This will be achieved through 1) supportive legislative framework and Sustainable Protected Areas Financing Strategy; and 2) strengthening the institutional and individual capacities of management authorities and local stakeholders to implement this strategy.

Romanian companies from 3 different economic fields of activity, that is energy-mining, production and services can benefit for free from a programme for the integration of CSR principles in their specific business strategy.

The assistance program is supported within the Project Strengthening the capacity of Romanian companies to develop social partnerships, financed through the European Social Fund, Sectoral Operational Programme for Human Resources Development 2007-2013, having as partners United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Agency for the Implementation of Programmes and Projects for Small and Medium Enterprises (AIPPIMM) and as beneficiary the National Association of Romanian Exporters and Importers (ANEIR).

The registration can be made on the project’s website at www.aneir-csr.ro.

More details about the eligibility criteria, registration conditions, and procedures of the selection process, responsibilities and benefits for the companies are also available on the project website.

The UNDP and the Romanian Permanent Electoral Authority (PEA) will organize a roundtable on “Transparency and anti-corruption in financing political parties and electoral campaigns” on December 1, 2011, at the UN House in Bucharest. The roundtable is organized under the joint  project on “Support to the Permanent Electoral Authority (PEA) and local public administration in Romania to implement best practices in electoral processes management”. During the event, the two international consultants, Constantine Palicarsky and Jurij Toplak, will present their preliminary findings and recommendations for amending the legislation on political parties and electoral campaigns financing. Representatives of the PEA, Ministry of Justice, National Integrity Agency, Court of Accounts as well as representatives from the political parties and civil society will take part in the roundtable.

Transparency and Anti-Corruption in the Financing of Political Parties and Electoral Campaigns - Preliminary Key Findings of the Report (PDF, 356 kb)

UNDP Romania and the Ministry of Environment and Forests co-organized on 22 November 2011 a roundtable on the subject of “Green Economy” in the context of Rio +20 Summit 2012. The event hosted at the UN House consisted of a public debate and pragmatic analysis of what Romania can offer in particular to the Rio+20 Summit, national experience in this field, as well as concrete steps in preparation for the event. National authorities, academia, private sector representatives, civil society organisations and media participated in the debate.

At the inception of the meeting, Ms. Yesim Oruc, Resident Representative of UNDP Romania thanked Minister Borbély for the very good cooperation between UNDP and the Ministry on jointly implemented development projects. Ms. Oruc also commended Minister Borbély for his leadership in the difficult negotiations within the 19th session of the UN-DESA Commission of Sustainable Development in May 2011, leading to the 10 Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns. She also proposed Minister Borbély to act as regional spokesperson and opinion leader advancing the concept of green economy and sustainability in the regional meetings organized by UNDP and partner agencies in preparation for Rio+20. Furthermore, she invited the distinguished representatives of Governmental institutions to consider a multi-sectoral participation in the Rio+20 preparatory meetings, including the forthcoming Durban Conference on Climate Change, and the Rio+20 Summit 2012.

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development that will be organised in June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro will provide the international community with the opportunity to assess its progress towards sustainable development and reconsider the actions needed in order to place it more firmly on the path governments committed themselves to 20 years ago. The two major themes of the Rio+20 Summit will be i) Green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication and ii) institutional framework for sustainable development.

Proceedings of the Roundtable will be available shortly here. 

With only 9.77% women in Parliament, Romania ranks below European averages among the countries with least representation of women. The Millennium Development Goal 3 on Women’s Representation in Parliament is the only MDG not achieved by Romania so far.

On Monday, 21st November 2011, at 05.30 PM, at the Permanent Electoral Authority, the United Nations System in Romania and the Embassy of the Swiss Confederation in Romania had the pleasure of organizing a conference on ‘Women in politics” held by H.E Ms. Simonetta Sommaruga, the Swiss Minister of Justice. The event focused on aspects of the current political environment from the perspective of equal opportunity between men and women.

On November 7-8, 2011, the UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Forests, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and development (OECD) and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), organize in Bucharest the 15th Meeting of theWorking Group of the European Union Water Initiative for Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EUWI EECCA).The EUWI EECCA is the regional component of the EU Water Initiative focused on Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, and its Working Group is the body which monitors and steers the work of EUWI EECCA. It supports the work targeted by the European Neighbourhood Policy and the EU-CA Platform for Environment and Water Cooperation, that is, the framework for implementation of the environment and water pillar of the EU Strategy for Central Asia.

The 15th meeting of the Working Group brings together 40 participants including senior officials representing water and environmental authorities, experts from countries of Western, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, as well as international organizations and donors. The event takes place in the larger context of partnership between UNDP and the Romanian Government on Development Assistance and International Cooperation.

The Government of Romania – Department for Interethnic Relations (DRI), the Center for Institutional Analysis and Development (CADI) and Roma Civic Alliance for Romania (ACRR) with support from UNDP Romania held in Cluj-Napoca, on the 26/27 October 2011, at the Romanian Institute for Research on National Minorities, the regional seminar on “Rethinking socio-economic policies addressing Roma communities in Romania”.

Over 40 participants, including actors and promoters of social economy, civil society organizations, community leaders, researchers, donorsand government officials attended the seminar.

The discussions focused on social economy models for Roma communities in Romania, the success factors in developing social economy models and challenges encountered in the implementation of social initiatives. The llong process for a well-developed legislative and administrative infrastructure to support sustainable socio-economic development were also discussed, and the need for a permanent dialogue between local and national authorities, private sector, civil society and affected communities, clearly emerged from the discussion.

“Rethinking socio-economic policies addressing Roma communities in Romania” is the first in a series of six seminars dedicated to strengthening the role of local authorities and civil society in developing socio-economic models for Roma communities, noting their diversity in terms of culture, social empowerment, education and income generation. Starting with 2011, UNDP Romania implements the ESF project “Social Economy – a solution for the development of Roma communities in Romania”. The project contributes to the national dialogue addressing poverty reduction among Roma communities in Romania. By involving a wide range of stakeholders, the project supports Romania’s development regions in defining their individual contexts for sustainable development approaches on the social inclusion of Roma.” – said Ms. Oruc, UNDP Resident Representative in Romania.

The UNESCO-Aschberg Bursaries for Artists Programme has the pleasure to announce the 2012 call for applications. The Programme promotes the mobility of young artists through art residencies abroad.

This call is open to creative writers, musicians and visual artists between 25 and 35 years old.

To consult the list of bursaries available for 2012, please visit www.unesco.org/culture/aschberg. You will find direct links to institutions and instructions on the application procedures and necessary dates.

On the occasion of the United Nations Day (24 October), the United Nations System in Romania organized a reception at the National Museum of Contemporary Art (Calea 13 September, Bucharest), where representatives of diplomatic missions in Romania, senior officials from national authorities, projects partners and media have been invited.

The evening commenced with speeches from Ms. Yesim Oruc, UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Staffan de Mistura, UN Special Representative of the Secretary General in Afghanistan, Mr. Mircea Geoana, President of the Romanian Senate, and Mr. Theodor Baconschi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, in which the special significance of the UN Day was highlighted. Then, the lives of women and men who lost their lives by serving the UN and committed for a world free from war, hunger and poverty was commemorated by releasing lanterns into the evening sky. 

On 20 October 2011 UNDP and MDRT in collaboration with the partners have launched the UNDP-GEF project “Improving the Energy Efficiency in Low-Income Households and Communities in Romania”, during the inception workshop organized at MDRT.

This project, which will span over 4 years (2011 – 2015), will be implemented by MDRT  will work to dismantle the barriers to the implementation of energy efficiency measures among poorer households and communities in Romania, and alleviate fuel poverty. The project will address in particular energy efficiency needs, develop appropriate policy measures, build capacity for implementation of energy efficiency measures in poorer regions, stimulate the market for locally-produced, energy efficient building materials. Upon completion, it is expected to improve the lives of over 110,000 people and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 660,000 tonnes of CO₂eq_. The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MEF), the Romania Green Building Council (RoGBC) and the Association of Energy Auditors for Buildings (AAEC) are national partners in the project, while the municipalities of Craiova, Calafat (Dolj) and Calan, Petrila, Petrosani and Vulcan (Hunedoara) are local partners. The budget of the project consists of UNDP-GEF grant of 3.025 million USD and a co-financing (in cash and in kind) on behalf of the partners, through related programmes and projects, of ca. 119 million USD.

The inception workshop was opened by the speeches by Mr. Eugen Curteanu, Secretary of State within MDRT and by Ms. Yesim Oruc, Resident Representative UNDP Romania. Both of them emphasized the importance of the partnership and of the project addressing crucial development issues such as climate change mitigation, energy security and poverty alleviation. This was followed by a technical presentation of the project framework and objectives delivered by UNDP staff. Of great interest for the participants was the official signing of the project agreement between Ms. Elena Udrea, Minister of Regional Development and Tourism, and Ms. Yesim Oruc, UNDP Resident Representative. The concluding interventions from national, local partners and other participants to the workshop were mostly focused on the project activities and expected results, and also revealed full support for the project. Thorough information on the project and the implementation framework can be found here.