Skopje, 16 December 2022 (MIA) – Deputy PM for European Affairs Bojan Marichikj met Friday with U.S. Ambassador to North Macedonia, Angela Aggeler, discussing cooperation with the United States as the country’s strategic partner in areas related to European reforms and possibilities to boost cooperation in terms of achieving national strategic priorities.  

“The United States remains a reliable strategic partner and strong ally, and we are grateful for the continued political and economic support. Since the beginning of the 1990s, the United States has been supporting our country in different areas with almost USD 1 billion, which shows stable continuous commitment to the overall development of our country,” said Deputy PM Marichikj.  

Deputy PM Marichikj and Ambassador Aggeler discussed areas in which continuation of U.S. support is needed towards implementing European reforms first of all, regarding which Aggeler said the country can count on U.S. support, the Secretariat for European Affairs said in a press release.  

“So far, great efforts and resources have been invested in key areas of the reforms, including education, justice, public administration and the economy, which are of vital importance for achieving North Macedonia’s strategic priorities – NATO membership, which we have already achieved, and full-fledged EU membership, to which we are committed,” said Marichikj.  

Participants in the meeting highlighted as particularly valued the work of the expert sanctions team on cases of corruption of top officials, both current and former, as the fight against corruption is one of the key priorities in ensuring European standards.  

Interlocutors also stressed the support provided through project collaborations with USAID funding, pointing out that the Strategic Framework for USAID Assistance to the Republic of North Macedonia 2018-2020 has provided a basis for fruitful cooperation aimed at four main results, set as goals for the three-year period of cooperation.  

Talks also highlighted the new cooperation strategy for the development of the country 2020-2025, which is focused on providing support to promote a prosperous, well-governed and stable North Macedonia, committed to Euro-Atlantic integration through the partnership with USAID. In this context, it was announced that USAID is expected to make a strategic transition from a donor-recipient program to one where USAID’s role will be catalytic, helping to establish country-led partnerships between the private sector, government and civil society, in order to help North Macedonia make progress.  

Deputy PM Marichikj and Ambassador Aggeler, reads the press release, agreed that in times of military and energy crisis on the continent, it is extremely important to boost cooperation between the countries towards ensuring stability and conditions for the smooth implementation of the planned reforms.