SSE – Sharing Slovak Expertise

Sharing Slovak Expertise (SSE)

Sharing Slovak Expertise (SSE) was established in January 2019, after changing the name from CETIR, which was a part of SlovakAid activities since 2011. With a new name and its own logo, SSE aims to spread a positive image of the Slovak Republic in partner countries, mainly in SlovakAid programme countries of Moldova and Georgia, as well as in those partner countries where Slovakia has an embassy or a liaison office. Such countries are in the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo*, North Macedonia, Serbia) and in the Eastern Partnership (Belarus, Ukraine).

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSC Resolution no. 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

The main aim of SSE is to offer and to pass on (through study visits, sending of experts, internships, roundtables and seminars) Slovak expertise, experience and recommendations from public sector reforms in various areas. This tool also supports the capacity building of public administration and local self-government in partner countries.

Participants of study visits, internships and roundtables or seminars can be representatives of state or public institutions, government and local self-government. In some cases, participants can also be from NGOs, academia or other fields.

Implementation of SSE projects

Sharing Slovak Expertise focuses on deepening the contacts between Slovak experts and representatives of government institutions in partner countries. As a flexible tool, SSE reacts to specific requests of the partner countries for expertise, using Slovak experts from public administration, scientific or educational institutions, NGOs, etc.

The long-term ambition of SSE is to establish partnerships with experts across state and public administration, local self-government, NGOs, academia and the private sector. Therefore, a coordinated cooperation of the MFEA SR and SAIDC with experts is especially important. Tangible outcomes of such cooperation are various concluded agreements and memoranda of cooperation.

The implementation of SSE projects is executed through the SAIDC and its Contact Points for SSE. The primary role in implementation is played by Slovak embassies, which initiate and submit project proposals, based on requests from partner countries.

Memoranda and Cooperation Agreements

Many of CETIR/SSE projects helped to start or develop an expert dialogue of partner institutions and organizations. Personal meetings of experts during study visits and internships helped to bring about the conclusion of several memoranda and cooperation agreements.

The Judicial Academy of the Slovak Republic signed the Framework Agreement on International Cooperation in the Field of Judicial Training with the Judicial Training Center of Montenegro (2013), the Antimonopoly Office of the Slovak Republic concluded a Cooperation Agreement with a partner institution in Moldova (2014) and the Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency (SIEA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Innovation Fund of the Republic of Serbia (2018). An agreement on cooperation between the Nation's Memory Institute (SR) and the Security Service of Ukraine in the field of archival research, scientific work and publication of documents on political repression in the 20th century was signed in Kiev (2020). This agreement was preceded by three joint SSE projects, aimed at exchanging experiences in archival research and strategic communication - a study visit to Slovakia, the sending of Slovak experts to Ukraine and a seminar for journalists and historians in Bratislava.

In 2021, the Migration Office of the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic (hereinafter referred to as the "MO MI SR") established cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina based on the Memorandum on cooperation between the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic and the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The cooperation is aimed at exchanging experiences and supporting partners from of Bosnia and Herzegovina in creating safe and stable reception conditions for migrants and improving asylum procedures. The Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic plans to continue this cooperation and further develop it in 2024. A Memorandum on cooperation in the field of education was also signed between the University of Economics in Bratislava and the International Association of Uzbek Businesswomen (2023). In February 2024, a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Kenya and the National Security Office of the Slovak Republic was signed in Nairobi, Kenya.

EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL SSE PROJECTS

The Position of Women in Business

Sharing Slovak experiences in improving the position of women in business, including family businesses and the internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises, was comprehensively
covered by experts from the University of Economics in Bratislava during their mission in Uzbekistan in June 2023.

They presented and discussed topics with the International Association of Uzbek Businesswomen, such as:

Support for the internationalization of women's businesses in Slovakia
Support for women in family businesses
The position of women in the business sector, especially in tourism
The most in-demand skills in information and communication technologies for women in business – artificial intelligence, critical thinking, stress resilience, and flexibility in the labor market within the context of the digitalization of the business environment

At the end of the mission, a Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of education was signed between the University of Economics in Bratislava and the International Association of Uzbek Businesswomen.

FOTO: doc. Mgr. Elena Kašťáková, PhD.

Digitalization and Innovative Library Technologies

The SSE tool was used for a study visit by librarians from the Scientific Library of Uzhhorod National University. The University Library in Bratislava provided expert information and instruction in digitalization and procedures at its specialized departments in July 2023. Ukrainian colleagues had the opportunity to compare their methods and discuss how to set up processes better and more efficiently, ensuring books are accessible to academics, students, and researchers during distance learning, as well as to the general public during wartime, when books are at risk of damage and, unfortunately, the destruction of entire libraries.

Members of the Ukrainian delegation visited the direct service departments of the University Library in Bratislava (ULB) on Ventúrska Street in Bratislava, as well as selected specialized departments of ULB: the Music Cabinet, the Manuscripts and Rare Prints Cabinet, the Document Preservation Department, the Digitalization Department, the Central Data Archive, the Digital Sources Depository, the NATO Depository Library, and the UNESCO IDS Depository. The professionalism, expertise, willingness, solidarity, and empathy of the Bratislava colleagues deeply moved the Ukrainian delegation. During their visit to the Manuscripts and Rare Prints Cabinet, the delegation was particularly touched by the specially prepared book collections of Ukrainian prints.

Migration and Mobility

During the years 2021, 2022, and 2023, we supported four SSE projects focused on the theme of migration and mobility, which strengthened the long-term cooperation between the Migration Office of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic and the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina (hereinafter referred to as „MS BaH"). Experts from the Migration Office of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic in Sarajevo and experts from MS BaH on a study trip to Slovakia discussed and searched for solutions in this area, beneficial not only for both countries:

The Year of 2023

In Sarajevo, in cooperation with Comenius University in Bratislava and Matej Bel University in Banska Bystrica, we participated in a project focused on sharing experience and expertise in the field of social work related to migration. This project extended its reach to the academic community with a special emphasis on expanding academic offerings in social studies, particularly in the areas of migration and asylum.

Foto: MO MI SR

The Year of 2022

As part of the project, four experts from the Procedural Department of the Migration Office of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic were sent to the MS BaH from March to June. The aim was to map the situation in the field of asylum procedures. Expert discussions focused on a wide range of related topics, from the registration of asylum applications, specifics regarding vulnerable persons and unaccompanied minor applicants, organization and conducting of interviews with applicants, collaboration with interpreters, to handling complex and complicated cases. Several common challenges were identified, including the diversity and unpredictability of migration flows, the complexity of processing certain cases, and the evaluation of evidence in asylum procedures.

The Year of 2021

The June study visit of the delegation from the MS BaH and the Office for Foreigners of BaH, titled "Helping Hand," took place at various locations:
Bratislava - Migration Office of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic and the Bureau of Border and Foreign Police of the Police Force Presidium (PFZ), the Medveďov Detention Center, Rohovce Residence Center, Humenné Reception Center, Opatovská Nová Ves Residence Center, Sečovce Detention Center, the Directorate of Border and Foreign Police in Sobrance, and the Vyšné Nemecké border crossing.

The main goal of the project was to share expertise and strengthen cooperation in creating safe and stable conditions for migrants and staff at migration centers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The five-member delegation familiarized themselves with the Slovak asylum system and the activities of the Bureau of Border and Foreign Police of PFZ, visited two residence centers and one detention facility managed by the Migration Office of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic, and observed the detention units of the Bureau of Border and Foreign Police of PFZ. They also reviewed the technical equipment used for protecting the Slovak section of the external Schengen border.

Foto: MO MI SR a MS BaH

At the end of 2021, three international business trips were conducted by experts from the Migration Office of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic to Sarajevo. The aim was to identify the needs of partners responsible for providing social and other reception services at the temporary reception facility for migrants in Lipa and to build capacities through lectures for social workers at the Center for Social Services in Bihać. These lectures introduced the Slovak system in areas related to the Migration Office of the Ministry of Interior, social work in asylum facilities, unaccompanied minors under Slovak conditions, and public relations in the fields of asylum and migration in Slovakia.

Protection of Nature

Through the SSE project with the Republic of Moldova, in September 2023, representatives of state forestry enterprises and agencies from Moldova, "Agenția Moldsilva," exchanged information with Slovak experts from the National Forestry Center, LESY Slovak Republic, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic. The focus was on practical approaches in afforestation and forest nursery management. The main areas of interest included legislation in forestry management, forest restoration and afforestation, environmental and climatic commitments, and other management obligations. The field visit included demonstrations of fast-growing tree stands at the nursery center in Trstice, showcasing the techniques and machinery used. Additionally, at the nursery center Hladomer in the Semenoles branch, procedures for growing bare-root and container seedlings for faster production on smaller areas were shared. The Tribeč branch presented a bison enclosure along with forest stand tours. Finally, at the National Forestry Center, the center's activities were introduced, a project funded by Slovak Official Development Cooperation was presented, and further cooperation opportunities between the National Forestry Center and the Moldovan forestry sector were discussed.

In September 2022, a workshop on "Sharing Experiences in Dam Safety" took place in Bratislava. The aim of this professional event was to enhance mutual awareness among Slovak and Central Asian experts in the field of legislation and cooperation concerning the safety of water structures. It focused on collaboration with state administration bodies and owners of water management structures, as well as on data collection and analysis from automated measurements, increasing the institutional capacity of specialized national authorities in Central Asia, and strengthening regional cooperation in the safety of hydraulic structures in transboundary river basins. The workshop received high praise from participants from Central Asian countries, allowing everyone to familiarize themselves with best practices in water management, particularly in the safety of water structures in Slovakia.

Participants included representatives from Kazakhstan (Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources, Meteo-Lux, IWAC, International Training Center for the Safety of Hydraulic Structures), Kyrgyzstan (Water Resources sector and Water Resources Service under the Ministry of Agriculture, Energy Supervision Service under the Ministry of Energy), Tajikistan (Information and Analytical Department of EC IFAS), Uzbekistan (Ministry of Water Resources, Research Institute of Irrigation and Water Problems, State Inspectorate for Monitoring the Safety of Water Facilities, Basin Water Organizations), and Turkmenistan (Turkmenistan in EC IFAS). The Slovak side of the event was coordinated by Vodohospodárska výstavba, š.p., the partner of this SSE project.

Fire and Rescue Services

In 2022, a study visit by Kenyan firefighters from Kenfiba - Kenya National Fire Brigade Association took place in Bratislava as part of an SSE project organized by Slovak colleagues from the Fire and Rescue Corps of the Slovak Republic. The visit featured an extensive professional program. On the first day at the Regional Headquarters of the Fire and Rescue Corps in Bratislava, the delegation familiarized themselves with the structure and operations of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic, the Fire and Rescue Corps, and the Crisis Management Section of the Ministry of Interior. Selected interventions by Fire and Rescue Corps members, operational modules within the Fire and Rescue Corps, as well as international assistance and cooperation, were presented to the delegation. The second day included a visit to a fire station in Petržalka, Bratislava, where the firefighters from Kenya inspected fire fighting equipment and personal protective gear used in various types of interventions. Slovak officers explained the organization of shift service at fire stations and the execution of professional training and practical drills. The visit concluded on the third day with a trip to the Training Center of the Fire and Rescue Corps in Lešť, where the Kenyan delegation learned about the establishment and activities of the training center. They toured various training simulators, witnessing practical demonstrations along with detailed explanations. This exchange provided valuable insights and practical knowledge sharing between Kenyan and Slovak fire and rescue services, enhancing mutual understanding and cooperation in firefighting practices and emergency response.

Cybersecurity and Digitalization of Public Administration Services

In November 2023, under the patronage of SSE, two study visits by an expert delegation from Kenya were conducted in Bratislava with the aim of sharing Slovakia's expertise in cybersecurity, digitalization of public administration services, and data center protection within the public sector. The visits provided invaluable insights to participants in the rapidly evolving digital security landscape. Attendees had the opportunity to engage with industry experts and gain knowledge about cutting-edge technologies, emerging threats, and best practices in cybersecurity. The exchange facilitated meaningful networking and the establishment of new collaborations. As a testament to the success of these efforts, a Memorandum of Cooperation was subsequently signed between the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Kenya and the National Security Authority of the Slovak Republic in the field of cybersecurity in February 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya. This memorandum underscored the commitment to enhancing cybersecurity capabilities and fostering ongoing collaboration between the two countries.

Cardiology

During 2018 and 2019, we supported two missions of doctors and nurses with SlovakAid funds from the SSE budget and a microgrant. During their two deployments to Nairobi, our team provided professional experience and recommendations to Kenyan cardiac surgeons and medical staff during operations and examinations of children with congenital heart diseases. The photo above shows the Slovak-Czech team of doctors and nurses at Mater Hospital in Nairobi.

Fighting corruption

Following a study visit of the Serbian Anti-Corruption Agency in 2019, SAIDC organized a seminar entitled "Unique Slovak Anti-Letterbox Companies Act and its Application in Practice" for the countries of the Eastern Partnership and the Western Balkans region. The seminar was prepared in the context of the Slovak Presidency of the OSCE. Lawyers Andrej Leontiev and Radovan Pala, who participated in the so-called "big" amendment to the law and also in the original drafting of the law, were the content guarantors of the seminar. The invitation to the seminar was also accepted by Prof. Paola Severino (Italy), Special Representative of the OSCE CiO on Combating Corruption and Special Representative on Fighting Corruption at OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Ms. Irene Charalambides (Cyprus). The main message of the event was the need for cooperation in the field of uncovering obscured ownership structures in the context of the fight against corruption, money laundering and the use of public funds.

Waste management

In 2018 and 2019, there was an exchange of expertise with Albania on hazardous waste management. Experts from the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic presented to the Albanian delegation our accession process to the EU and its challenges, the legislation and the history of legal landfilling and waste incineration, as well as the new challenges arising from EU membership. A part of the programme was devoted to the increased need for recycling and education on this topic.

Training for Ukrainian doctors

After the outbreak of the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine, in 2014 we sent two Slovak doctors with practical experience from NATO military operations to Ukraine.

In cooperation with the Ukrainian Scientific-Practical Center for Medical Assistance in Emergencies and Disaster Medicine of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, about 300 doctors were trained in the organization and management of field hospitals, acute field surgery, patient management and psychological trauma management in a field hospital.