The Regional Initiative (RI) is an assistance partnership between the United States and Russia administered by the U.S. Department of State. The RI’s objective is to facilitate effective reform and positive change in Russia through concentrating USAID (www.usaid.ru) and other U.S. Government funded programs in select Russian regions. Consistent with overall U.S. assistance to Russia strategic target areas, the RI primarily provides and promotes: 1) support for small and medium-sized enterprises including micro-credit and business training; 2) assistance in creating a mature civil society and promoting democratic processes; and 3) health, educational and environmental initiatives. Successful RI programs are replicated and disseminated to other regions of Russia.

The RI arose out of and was launched in February 1997 at the 8th Meeting of the U.S.-Russian Bi-national Commission on Economic and Technological Cooperation (frequently referred to as the “Gore-Chirnomyrdin Commission”). The Regional Initiative Russian Far East (RI RFE) is located in  Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

The RI RFE website is updated on a weekly basis. For more information about the website or the RI RFE, please contact:

Regional Initiative-Russian Far East
32 Kommunistichesky Prospect, Office 517-A
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, 693000 Sakhalin Region
Russian Federation

Svetlana Vasina,

Coordinator
Tel: +4242 72 71 24/5
E-mail: svetlana_vasina@hotmail.com

Olga Vinokurova,

 Coordinator  Assistant
Tel: +4242 72 71 24/5
E-mail:  vinokurovaolga@mail.ru