The tasks of ukraine on the way to the global

Integration

1. Work in pairs. Speak on the following issues. Present your opinions on:

1. What do you think the text is about?

2. What is your opinion on the main tasks of Ukraine in the sphere of reconstruction of the national economy?

 2. Read the text “The Tasks of Ukraine on the Way to the Global Integration”

A. Get ready to do practical tasks and exercises paying your special attention to the vocabulary in bold. Be ready to speak on the following points:

• characteristic features of the today world and main tasks of Ukraine in these realities;

• Ukraine’s prerequisites to become a true partner in the global cooperation;

• the tasks that stand before the government of Ukraine;

• spheres of possible cooperation of the country in the world arena.

B. Make up the most suitable heading for each part of the article:

the Report by M. Z. Zgurovsky, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

1.

The main feature of the processes taking place in the today world is the global integration in economics, politics, in development of science and technology, environmental protection and social well-being. Ukraine being an independent state lives in the interconnected and interdependent world.

Under the existing conditions of globalization of economic life the industrialized countries in which science is the major factor in economic development ensure their progress by improving the existing technologies, techniques and methods and by consistent implementation of principally new scientific knowledge and technologies. International technological and scientific exchange, transfer of the intellectual potential are the characteristics of the present time.

2.

Ukraine’s joining the European and world integration processes is impossible without taking into account the geopolitical realities that to a considerable extent determine the today’s status of the Ukrainian economy and the forecast of its further development. Ukraine is situated almost in the center of Europe, in the West it has the common border with Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, in the South-West the borders are with Romania, Moldova; in the North and East - with Belarus and Russia. The territory of Ukraine, which occupies the area of more than 604 sq. km with the population of around 48 million people, is washed by the Black and Azov Seas. There are the Carpathian and the Crimean Mountains and the thick forests that encircle the vast steppes which are known as very fertile black earth (almost the richest lands of such type in the world). In Ukraine there are considerable deposits of iron ore, manganese, titanium, coal and phosphates. This fact has given an impetus to the growth of such branches of industry as metallurgy, machine-building, power engineering, mining industry, oil processing and chemical industry, aviation and space-craft industry, agricultural and food production.

The fifth part of the entire working population is engaged in agriculture, the fourth part of the production funds are concentrated here and almost 13 per cent of the gross added value of the country is produced here.

3.

It is obvious that Ukraine could become a prosperous country only under the condition of efficient and complete utilization of the land and resources that are in its possession. But it cannot be done without close cooperation with the economically developed countries through implementation, first of all, of advanced technologies and managerial experience.

Therefore, the strategic objective of Ukraine is to become a part of the international scientific and technological flows, which will make possible modernization of the country’s production and ensure competitiveness of the major branches of industry.

4.

The strategy of economic and social development of Ukraine foresees as the priority of the state policy, the structural reconstruction of the industry, development of the innovation model of economic growth, strengthening of Ukraine as a country with high technologies. The course aimed at the innovation development is based on the structural reconstruction of economy, technological updating of industry, wide application of achievements of science and engineering. The existing scientific and technological potential is still able to ensure economic progress of Ukraine.

It was presupposed by the fact that at the beginning of the market transformations Ukraine had considerable possibilities for development of its economy, in particular, in the scientific and technological fields. The available scientific and technological potential had many characteristics corresponding to those of highly developed countries. In some fields, such as material science, theoretical physics, mathematics, welding technology and biotechnology Ukraine is still among the leaders.

5.

The process of market transformations, which had not been adequately studied from the point of view of the control theory and had not been methodically grounded, resulted in a sharp fall of the gross production output during the first nine years and reduction of high technology production as well as scientific and research activities.

At the beginning of that period the following slogans were most popular "The market will sort out all the problems of the new country", "The West will quickly accept us to their community as an equal member". Any western product and the way of life in general were taken as the paragon which was to be blindly followed. Everything produced in the country from the very beginning was considered second rate having no prospects and noncompetitive. Foreign trade was growing quickly and uncontrollably. The immense sums of money taken from the Ukrainian economy were spent for procurement and purchasing of various western products including industrial equipment that, naturally, could not be modern and competitive. As a result, the Ukrainian scientists, designers and engineers along with their inventions were out of demand. The chain that had united science and education with industry for many years was broken.

6.

Ukraine has unique prerequisites for development of the modern civilized state. Its geographical position and climatic conditions are favorable. Ukraine has fertile soil. Out of 60.4 million hectares of its territory 41.8 million hectares, i.e. 69.3 per cent are agricultural arable lands. The agricultural production is one of the largest and most important sectors of economy. The availability of considerable mineral resources makes possible development of many branches of industry. The geopolitical situation of Ukraine, its natural conditions, and the available infrastructure dictate the necessity of planning and forecasting the development and implementation of new technologies at the national and regional levels. The statement of programs and development of many scientific and technical projects should be connected with the requirement of solving the strategic tasks of economic development of the country, meeting the demands of the market for scientific and technological products and the needs of the regions.

7.

Thus, a number of problems Ukraine is facing today can be sorted out only on the basis of close international cooperation. In particular, the global natural changes, the ruining influence of the man on the environment demand that the mankind and its international institutions should unite their efforts in elimination of the consequences and prevention of regional and global catastrophes. First of all, Ukraine is concerned with such problems:

First, liquidation of the consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe. It requires a complex of scientific and technological measures for utilization of the sarcophagus, restoration of the ecology on most of the territory of the Eastern-European region (Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Poland and other countries), putting out of operation the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant itself and utilization of nuclear fuel. Sorting out this problem has global significance and requires the efforts of the entire international community as well as involvement of the advanced technologies of the mankind.

Secondly, solving the problems of contamination of the Black Sea and Dnipro river basin. These problems worry not only the countries of the Black Sea region, but also the countries of Europe and Asia. What is required is a sharp decrease of waste discharge into such big rivers as the Danube, Dnipro, Don, Southern Bug, Dniester and others. Here should be added the production of oil and gas in the Black Sea shelf and some other factors that influence the Black Sea pollution. The chain of hydropower plants on the Dnipro has already caused changes in the climate of Ukraine, and violation of the balance in at least one of them may cause a regional catastrophe. This global problem is to be resolved by the international community with involvement of the most advanced modern technologies.

Third, solving the problem of flooding and soil displacements in the Carpathian Ukraine, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania. Climate warming, unjustified felling of woods, deviations from the accepted technology in dike construction result in tragic consequences for the entire region.

One country of this region cannot solve this problem separately. The negative effects on the ecology of this region can be reduced only by the common efforts with application of the progressive technologies and finding principally new technological solutions, restoration of agricultural lands etc.

8.

Ukraine, in its turn, having considerable scientific and technological potential can propose to the international community cooperation in the field of aviation and space technologies, resources and power-saving technologies (economically profitable heat power generating technologies), development of new substances and materials, materials with shape memory, bio-compatible materials ( materials with controllable functional properties), protection of natural ecosystems and improvement of life conditions (technologies of drinking water purification, technologies of agricultural waste processing and utilization), and others.

While estimating the technology development forecast in Ukraine two aspects should be taken into consideration.

First, the necessity of development of collaboration with the European bodies and organizations, first of all, in implementation of the programs of the interstate, regional scale taking into account the experience and international influence of the UNIDO [the United Nations Industrial Development Organization]. The forms of such collaboration may be the coordination by the UNIDO of cooperation in implementation of these programs.

Important is also legislative and legal support on part of Ukraine of the international scientific and technological cooperation.

The second aspect of the problem is connected with the internal improvement of organization and financing of the scientific and technological sphere in Ukraine.

1. What features are characteristic of the world today?

2. What is necessary for the country to integrate into the global processes characteristic to the world today as a full-fledged member?

3. What determines the today status of Ukraine?

4. What can make Ukraine a prosperous country?

5. What is the strategic objective of Ukraine?

6. What factors presupposed the market transformations in Ukraine?

7. What problems did Ukraine face at the initial stages of the market transformations?

8. What are Ukraine’s prerequisites for development?

9. What natural changes can put obstacles for the country in her movement to a developed civilized state? What problems should Ukraine solve?

10. What are Ukraine’s possibilities on the way for future cooperation with other countries of the world?