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UNDP Europe and Central Asia
Slovak - UNDP Partnerships
Slovak-UNDP Partnerships
The partnership between UNDP and the Slovak Republic was launched in the early 21st century to provide guidance on development policy and assist in the effective management of development projects. Over time, the partnership has focused on specific areas, including public finance management, private sector engagement, innovation, and security policy in the Western Balkans. The cooperation between UNDP and Slovakia is the oldest initiative of its kind in the region. A distinctive aspect of the cooperation between Slovakia and UNDP is Slovakia’s willingness as a donor to provide long-term programmatic support. Notably, Slovakia plays a key role in backing projects that promote innovation and allow for experimentation, even when the outcomes are uncertain.
The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic (MFEA SR) and the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic (MF SR) are the main partners.
UNDP and Ministry of Finance of Slovak Republic Partnership
Public and Private Finance for Development (PPFD)
Slovakia has considerable expertise in public finance management. The Public Finance for Development Programme has been implemented since 2009 as part of Slovakia’s official development assistance. It contributes to sound public finance management and good governance in partner countries. Since 2017, the project has been continued as Public and Private Finance for Development (PPFD), and it now also facilitates private sector engagement in development cooperation. PPFD is currently set to last until 2029.
PPFD responds to the global need to mobilize resources for the SDGs and to support the development of transparent systems, approaches and capacities for planning, mobilizing and implementing public and private investments in partner countries.
- Its primary long-term goal is to assist partner countries in establishing effective and transparent public finance management while ensuring compliance with European Union regulations.
- The project also encourages private sector participation in development cooperation by fostering an ecosystem for mobilizing external financing. It specifically focuses on leveraging private financial resources, knowledge, expertise, and technologies to help achieve sustainable development goals. The support primarily focuses on energy efficiency, waste management, smart cities, and green solutions.
Current project activities are carried out in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Moldova, and Uzbekistan. Areas of assistance and cooperation are determined according to the clearly defined needs of partners, such as national institutions including ministries of finance, relevant line ministries, tax and customs administrations, regional authorities, local governments, and other relevant entities.
Further details including key achievements are available on the project website: https://publicfinance.undp.sk/en/
The Slovak Transformation Fund
In 2022, UNDP and the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic launched the Slovak Transformation Fund (STF) project as a successor to the Transformative Governance and Financial Facility project (operational from 2015 to 2021). It aims to support partners by implementing innovative approaches and financing solutions across critical governance areas. Its goal is to guide the transformation of cities and countries through systemic approaches, co-creation processes, and strengthening local ecosystems, supported by innovative funding sources. Recent Annual Report
The project is structured around two main components: City Experiment Fund (CEF), aimed at transforming urban systems and exploring new financing mechanisms, and BOOST Impact Accelerator, fostering innovations for selected challenges.
- Green Tokens: Incentivizing Eco-Conscious Behavior project - aimed at incentivizing eco-conscious behavior through an innovative blockchain-based tokenization system. The project was implemented in Skopje, North Macedonia, with a focus on sustainable management of biological waste, and in Podgorica, Montenegro, where the emphasis was on sustainable public transport.
- North Macedonia 2022-2042 National Development Strategy (NDS) - the most comprehensive framework aimed at ensuring coordinated, holistic development of the country.
- Ministry of Data - an open data challenge in the Western Balkans and Black Sea regions which offers a platform for citizens to present creative data-driven tools and solutions to community issues.
- Alternative Finance Lab - a mechanism for exploring and tapping into new financial technologies and mechanisms to leverage investments for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
UNDP and the MFEA SR Partnership
Effective Development Cooperation Solutions for the SDGs
The partnership project of UNDP and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Effective Development Cooperation Solutions for the SDGs, was launched in 2018 and is planned to be completed in June 2025. The project focuses on two main goals: supporting the transfer of Slovak innovative solutions through the Slovak Challenge Fund and on promoting gender equality in the armed forces.
The Slovak Challenge Fund (SCF) facilitated the transfer and testing of Slovak innovative solutions aimed at addressing development challenges within the context of sustainable development in Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Moldova, and Serbia, focusing on the following areas:
- Natural Resources and Nature-Based Solutions
- Energy Transition
- Agriculture
- Good Governance
- Resilient Society
Since its inception in 2020, a total of 16 projects have been supported. These projects include eight in Moldova, three in North Macedonia, three in Serbia, and two in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Detailed information about the projects is available on SCF web site: https://slovakchallengefund.org/
As part of the SCF, over 60 activities, including workshops, webinars or targeted consultations, were organized for Slovak companies and other potential SCF applicants. The goal was not only to guide participants through the SCF application process but also to offer broader support in helping them establish a presence in developing markets. This included workshops with practical advice on participating in UN tenders and other financial organizations, assistance in forming partnerships, and more.
The project Strengthening Regional Cooperation on Gender Mainstreaming in Security Sector Reform in the Western Balkans supports knowledge and experience exchange on integrating gender equality in the military. This project was implemented by The South-Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC). This is a multi-Donor initiative, financed by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Slovak MFEA, with a higher percentage of funding from Norway. The project’s unique regional approach proved to be the best practice model for fostering learning and exchange in achieving gender equality in line with the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. The project strengthened regional cooperation on gender mainstreaming in the security sector reform in the Western Balkans thanks to 34 regional meetings and workshops. It raised gender awareness in ministries of defence and Armed Forces, improved integration of the gender perspective into military education and, as data show, increased participation of women in the military.
More information is available on: https://www.seesac.org/Gender-in-Security-Sector-Reform/