On September 15, 2015 at the premises of the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service the extended meeting of the Coordination Group for Implementation of the NATO–Ukraine Programme for Professional Development of the Civilian Personnel of Security and Defense Sector (hereinafter – the Programme) was conducted.
The main goal of this meeting was to discuss the current state of the Programme implementation in 2015 as well as the issues concerning the implementation of the Course of Defense and Security for the Leading Personnel of Government Authorities in Ukraine (hereinafter – the Course).
The Head of the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service Kostiantyn Vashchenko in his opening remarks welcomed all the participants and outlined the importance of the mutual profitable partnership between the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service and the Programme. Moreover, it was mentioned that within the framework of implementation of Annual National Programmeof NATO-Ukraine cooperation for 2015 approved by the Presidential Decree dated April 23, 2015 № 238/2015 a number of communicative activities were conducted. These activities were aimed at development language proficiency of civil servants and local government authorities, European integration and Euro–Atlantic cooperation, anticorruption legislation as well. Furthermore, the main achievements within the framework of the Programme implementation during the I-II semester of 2015 were outlined.
Representative of NATO Headquarters in Brussels Mari Tomingas in her welcome speech emphasized the readiness to assist the further Programme implementation in Ukraine.
Programme Manager Ove Urup-Madsen presented the results of the Programme implementation in the III semester of 2015 and the state of the Programme implementation in the IV semester of 2015. He also defined the main challenges and possible ways of their solution that would assist the effective implementation of the Programme in future and also realization of sustainable reforms in the sphere of defense and security. Moreover, the draft Work Plan for the Programme implementation in 2016 was presented. It was based on the proposals submitted by government authorities, higher educational establishments and scientific institutions involved in Programme implementation. The participants of the event discussed the Programme implementation for the IV semester of 2015.
Phil Jones, Special Advisor of Ministry of Defense of Ukraine stressed the importance of cooperation between Ukraine and the Programme and suggested to use the Great Britain best practices in reform implementation through the attraction of the most qualified specialists and experts to the activities implementation provided by the Programme.
Director of the Center for Adaptation of the Civil Service to the Standards to the European Union Maryna Kanavets informed about the state of activities preparation and implementation provided by Programme and the Curse.
As a result of the Programme Coordination meeting participants agreed on the need for follow-up revision of the Course concept and defining its thematic content. It was decided to postpone the Curse implementation till 2016.
Representatives of NATO Liaison Office in Ukraine, the Presidential Administration of Ukraine, Administrative Office of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, Department of the State Guard of Ukraine, National Guard of Ukraine, National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine, School of Senior Civil Service and higher educational establishments in Ukraine took part in the event.
On behalf of the Center for Adaptation of the Civil Service to the Standards of the European Union the Head of the Expert Analytical Unit Ivan Roshchin, the Head of the Industry Expertise Sector of the Expert Analytical Unit Kateryna Tkachenko and the Head of the Division of International Cooperation Projects of the Projects Management Unit Inna Belobratova attended the event.
For reference: the NATO–Ukraine Programme for Professional Development of the Civilian Personnel of Security and Defense Sector was launched in October, 2005 during the NATO-Ukraine high level consultations (Vilnius, Lithuania). The Programme provides not only practical training, but specific financial contributions from the Allies. According to the conclusion of the Sixth Session of the Commission on the Ukraine's partnership with NATO the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service was established as the national coordinator of the Programme implementation.
