This is an archived USAID document retained on this web site as a matter of public record.
Administrator J. Brian Atwood
Town Hall Meeting
Bucharest, Romania, October 28, 1997
U.S. Agency for International Development
It is a pleasure to be back in Bucharest once again. It has
not been that long since my last visit, but it is remarkable how
much change a short time can bring. During my last visit I had
the opportunity to meet with Emil Constantinescu who was a
professor at that time. I remember thinking, and hoping, that
Professor Constantinescu might be able to play a major role in
Romania's future. And while I am a strong supporter of
education in all of its facets, I think we are all fortunate that
President Constantinescu decided to lay aside the academic life to
become engaged in the democratic struggle.
When people speak of Romania, they are often quick to talk
of the Revolution and its impact. I don't think anyone would
argue that few nations have undergone a more dramatic
transformation than Romania -- moving from the bleakness of
tyranny to the opportunity of democracy in less than a decade.
But there is another revolution that still looms large in Romania's
history. It was during the revolution of 1848 that the people of
Romania first spoke for unity and independence. The ideals
expressed then "Dreptate, Fratie" -- Justice, Brotherhood --
shaped the heart of this nation. Though defeated in 1848, these
notions would not go quietly into the night. It was these
convictions that have guided Romania through a turbulent history
and helped preserve a proud culture and its traditions against both
foreign occupations and the autocracy of Ceausescu.
Last November 17th marked another important date in
Romania's history. The elections that brought the new
government to power -- a year since Professor Constantinescu
became President Constantinescu -- helped set Romania on a
course to realizing its high ideals. The government deserves
praise for putting forth such a serious and committed reform
effort. Presenting such a comprehensive plan for economic,
budget, social, and political reform took real political courage, as
did the Prime Minister's "shock therapy" -- drastic stabilization
and privatization measures. But I also believe that there is
usually a reward for taking such bold and decisive steps.
Romania has shown the world that it can make difficult
decisions and that it can best put its own house in order.
Sweeping reform was in the best interests of Romania, but it
could not be achieved without some high short term social and
economic costs. By giving people a real stake in making major
economic and social decisions, Romania has worked hard to make
democracy irreversible.
As the Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID), I am proud that the United
States has been able to assist Romania's remarkable
transformation. We view Romania as a valuable partner in the
region, whose prospects will only continue to grow.
USAID has been involved in the effort to build a democratic
Romania from the earliest days of the post-Ceausecu era.
Between 1990 and the present, USAID has committed $215
million to programs in Romania in an effort to support
democracy, encourage a free market and help Romanians improve
their quality of life. I am pleased that the United States
government has been able to play a role, although the people of
Romania deserve the credit for this nation's many achievements
since 1990. There are many to salute for these efforts: non-governmental organizations, some of which are with us today;
political parties who have expressed their opposing ideas in a
peaceful fashion; every person who has worked to improve their
community and a dynamic and growing group of business people.
Certainly there is still much to be done on the reform front, and
that is what USAID's programs in Romania are all about.
Our program in Romania is an evolving one. We hope to
build on what has worked, while addressing needs that remain.
Last year in Washington, for example, I had the good fortune to
participate in an event celebrating the kick-off of the Romanian
over-the-counter stock exchange, RASDAQ. At that time, I
expressed my hope that the RASDAQ might be able to attract
increasing levels of investment to Romania and help spur
economic growth in this country. When the RASDAQ opened, it
listed a modest six firms and four brokers. Today, more than
3,700 companies are listed and traded on the RASDAQ. On an
average trading day, 3-4 million shares are traded in more than
3,000 transactions, with total trades generally valued at more than
US$ 1.5 million. These trades are executed by more than 150
broker firms. I am a perennially optimistic person, but I don't
think even I would have predicted such a banner first year for the
RASDAQ.
Building on the success of ideas such as the RASDAQ we
have also developed new initiatives to help accelerate the reform
process. For example, we have responded to a request by the
governor of the National Bank of Romania to help strengthen
banking supervision. We are redesigning our child welfare and
reproductive health activities to make them more effective. We
are also providing technical assistance in drafting legislation and
managing the process of decentralization.
We are also undertaking capacity building activities with
local governments, in order for these entities to be able to
manage their budgetary processes, raise revenues, and meet other
responsibilities after decentralization.
One initiative I am particularly enthusiastic about is our two-pronged program to help the Romanian Parliament and executive
offices develop their administrative, procedural and technical
capacity. The assistance is divided into short and longer term
activities.
Under the short term program, we will provide immediate
support to both the Parliament and executive offices in areas such
as economic reform, decentralization, public administration
reform and anti-corruption efforts. Our longer term initiatives
will focus on information gathering, policy analysis, review of
legislation, the budgetary process and constituency outreach. With
USAID funding, study tours in the United States are being
provided to key government officials, exposing them to effective
systems and practices as a means to expedite the reform process.
I worked in the United States Senate back in the 1970's and
I learned that you cannot create effective laws or policies without
having the information, the analysis, and the data to support your
efforts. The U.S. Congress developed its own information
systems in part because, without them, the executive branch --
with every type of information and analysis at its disposal --
would dominate. In Romania, each branch of government needs
these systems not just to maintain its authority but to help inform
public debate on the issues.
As all of you know, one of the most positive changes on the
Romanian scene is the highly favorable environment which now
exists for non-government organizations to participate in
democratization and development initiatives in Romania.
The number of local NGOs has exploded: some 13,000
NGOs are now registered. The newer NGOs tend to focus on
pressing societal issues such as women's rights, grassroots
development, small business incubation and the environment.
Many are working at local levels to fill the development gap
created by Romania's growing needs and the state's limited
ability to meet these needs. Working through DemNet, USAID's
democracy network and through its democracy, environment,
energy, health and economic restructuring portfolios, USAID's
Romania mission is helping to strengthen NGO activities.
Currently there is an unprecedented window of opportunity
to increase civil society participation in Romania by strengthening
NGOs. NGOs can play a key role as intermediaries in
development partnerships involving the government and civil
society. Most Romanian NGOs need to further develop their
institutional capacities as well as their abilities to represent
grassroots interests. As you know, USAID will not remain in
Romania much beyond the turn of the century. As we leave we
want to be able to hand off our best activities and projects to a
vital NGO sector. I am optimistic that we will be able to do so.
In closing, let me again offer both congratulations for what
has been achieved and support for tackling the tasks that still lay
ahead. Romanians have always believed that a brighter future
could be at hand. It is this spirit that saw Romania triumph over
communism, autocracy and a cult of personality. Romania has
done more than just change its political system -- it has helped
change the face of the world.
Political and economic decisions are now made
transparently, not behind closed doors. Decentralization is the
order of the day. This includes the devolution of power from
government to civil society; from central government to local
government; and within the central government -- from the
executive branch to the legislative and judicial branches, and
within the executive from the president and the prime minister to
the line ministries. Your election one year ago demonstrates, yet
again, that the only successful revolutions are democratic
revolutions.
Let the world's remaining dictators look to Romania and
know their days are numbered. Let my fellow Americans look to
Romania and appreciate what a tremendous struggle you have
waged. And finally, let Romanians look to the challenges of their
future with the assurance born of all you have already achieved.
Thank you.
This is an archived USAID document retained on this web site as a matter of public record.
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Last Updated on: July 18, 2001
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