ACTION PLAN OF 9TH MEETING OF US-ARMENIA TASK FORCE ON ECONOMIC
COOPERATION SIGNED YEREVAN
MARCH 23, NOYAN TAPAN. On March 23, Minister of Finance and Economy
Vardan Khachatyran and U.S. Ambassador John Evans signed the Action
Plan of the most recent meeting of the U.S.-Armenia Task Force
on Economic Cooperation (USATF). The current document highlights
areas in which the two governments are cooperating in the fields
of development assistance. “This Action Plan is our development
roadmap,” said Ambassador Evans of the signing ceremony. “It helps us
set clear goals and ensures that we are cooperating as governments
toward a bright future for the Armenian people.” Over the last
decade, the US government provided over 1.5 bln dollar assistance for
Armenia. According to the press service of the RA Minisry of Finance
and Economy, topics in the 30-point action plan include ways to improve
fiscal administration, strengthen the banking sector, fight corruption,
engage the business community, meet Armenia’s needs in the public
service sector and strengthen ongoing cooperation in the agricultural
and humanitarian sectors. The document also acknowledges the Government
of Armenia’s eligibility for the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA)
and the need to register progress in MCA eligibility areas. The
U.S.-Armenia Task Force on Economic Cooperation was established in
January 2000 as a way to institutionalize government-to-government
dialogue on development issues, promote further economic cooperation
and maximize the effectiveness of assistance programs implemented by
the United States Government. Meetings are held twice a year (once
in the United States and once in Armenia) The next USATF meeting is
tentatively scheduled to be held in May 2005 in Yerevan.