The SID-Washington Governance, Corruption & Rule of Law Workgroup, in conjunction with The International Development Studies Program at The George Washington University and The Central Asian Program at The George Washington University will host a panel discussion on USAID Experience in the Former Soviet Union. In the two decades since the fall of the Soviet Union and the emergence of independent states on Russia's periphery, USAID has led the effort to help parliaments in these countries become more effective in passing meaningful legislation, more engaged with citizens, and more independent of the executive branch. This panel will be a discussion of those efforts, with both a comparative regional overview over that period and a more focused look at recent work with the Kyrgyzstan's Jogorku Kenesh.

Dr. Eric Rudenshiold, the Senior Officer in Charge for Kyrgyzstan and the Central Asian Republics at USAID, has been instrumental in the design and implementation of USAID's work with legislative institutions in Central Asia, the Caucuses and elsewhere in the region, and will speak on the challenges and successes in those efforts. Kregg Halstead, is the Chief of Party of USAID's “Kyrgyzstan Parliamentary Strengthening Program” being implemented by DAI, and has worked on legislative strengthening, human rights and rule of law programs in the former Soviet Union for almost 20 years. Dr. Sean Roberts is a noted expert on issues of democracy and governance in Central Asia. Between 1998 and 2006 he spent six years in the region designing and managing USAID programs on democracy, civil society and legislative assistance.

Moderator:

Sean R. Roberts, Director and Associate Professor, International Development Studies Program, The Elliott School of International Affairs, The George Washington University

Speakers:

Dr. Eric Rudenshiold, Senior Officer in Charge for Kyrgyzstan and the Central Asian Republics

Kregg Halstead, Chief of Party for USAID's Kyrgyzstan Parliamentary Strengthening Program, DAI

Workgroup Co-Chairs

Derick Brinkerhoff, Distinguished Fellow, International Public Management, RTI International

Tomas Bridle, Technical Area Manager, Responsive Government Institutions, Economic and Democratic Governance, DAI

Please bring your lunch to enjoy during the event.