UNDP expert gets an award from Ukrainian President

13 February, 2008. Kyiv. After 15 years of negotiations since the submission of application back in 1993, Ukraine has finally obtained full-fledged membership in the World Trade Organization, which will provide the country with a stable and predictable trade environment, boosting its growth and prosperity.

This success could not be achieved without a team of excellent negotiators, to which Iryna Kobouta has competently assisted throughout 2001-2008. Being an expert of the Secretariat of the Coordination Council for Agrarian Policy at the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2001-2006) she has been invited by the Government to assist Ukraine's team in the negotiations and participated in the 9-16th meetings on WTO accession as a member of the national expert group, providing a unique expertise on the matters related to agriculture and Ukraine's WTO membership.

In her capacity as a Team leader at UNDP Blue Ribbon Analytical and Advisory Centre in Ukraine, Ms. Kobouta has made a valuable contribution to strengthening overall capacity of the government agencies in the issues related to Ukraine's international and European integration.

Throughout her academic and professional activity Ms. Kobouta cooperated with the international community, including World Bank, OECD, FAO, USAID, Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, Cabinet of Ministers, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Agriculture and other government bodies.

Award of a medal "Za pratsu i zvytiagu" ("For Work and Merit") by the President of Ukraine is a worthy recognition of her academic and professional record, commitment and achievements.
    
The Blue Ribbon Analytical and Advisory Centre (BRAAC), UNDP-led and EU-funded project, was created in 2005 to assist Ukrainian authorities in their implementation of recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Commission for Ukraine.

The Centre's mission is to support the next generation of social and economic transformations in Ukraine by assisting policy formulation, building capacity of national stakeholders and energizing, and facilitating a broad dialogue on economic development issues.