Mid Term Review of the Wider Europe Initiative (WEI)
The Wider Europe Initiative is a bilateral development cooperation programme in Eastern
Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia. The programme is carried out in three regions in the and eleven countries of the ex-Soviet area. The programme sets out five themes to receive attention in accordance with the relevant circumstances and requirements of each region. The themes are security, trade and development, information society development, energy and the environment and social sustainability.
The assignment was a mid-term review of the different components of WEI. There was a particular focus on the Security cluster (research), the Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC) and the Water Framework (FinWaterWEI).
The Wider Europe Initiative is a bilateral development cooperation programme in Eastern
Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia. The programme is carried out in three regions in the following eleven countries:
Eastern Europe: Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine
South Caucasus: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Priority is given to strengthening stability and security through a regional and thematic approach. The programme sets out five themes to receive attention in accordance with the relevant circumstances and requirements of each region. The themes are security, trade and development, information society development, energy and the environment and social sustainability. The WEI has a wide range of different modalities and partners, working with UN organisations, Finnish government institutions and NGOs.
The assignment was a mid-term review of the different components of WEI. There was a particular focus on the Security cluster (research), the Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC) and the Water Framework (FinWaterWEI). The team were aiming to assess the progress to date and provide inputs for the future planning of MFA activities in the region. A particular focus was on cross-cutting issues.