Chisinau hosted a session of the US-Moldova Strategic Dialogue, at which the parties considered a number of issues of paramount importance.
In particular, the following topics were discussed: the strengthening of democracy, the rule of law and good governance; promotion of trade and economic cooperation; security and defense, including cybersecurity; public diplomacy and the development of relations between the citizens of the two countries. The parties reviewed the achievements since the resumption of the Strategic Dialogue in 2022, including Moldova's progress towards the EU. Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Nicu Popescu said that relations between Moldova and the United States have never been stronger than now. He welcomed the frequent high-level meetings, including last month's meeting between Presidents Maia Sandu and Joe Biden, and the visit of the Moldovan head of state to Washington last December, noting that this demonstrates a shared commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership between our countries. Nicu Popescu thanked the American partners for the firm and long-term commitment of the United States to Moldova. "This close partnership and significant financial assistance from the United States help us strengthen democracy and develop a market economy, contributing to peace and stability in the region and throughout the European continent," said the head of Moldovan diplomacy. He also welcomed the intention of the US authorities to provide Moldova with an additional grant of $300 million through USAID, which in the coming years will be invested in the energy sustainability of our country. In addition, the head of the Foreign Ministry highly appreciated the US assistance in the fight against corruption and strengthening the rule of law in Moldova. “Last year, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Ministry of Finance (OFAC) sanctioned 9 individuals and 12 entities, including fugitive oligarchs, who act as an instrument of the Russian malign influence campaign,” Nicu Popescu said. Another aspect of the Moldovan-American dialogue was the signing of a bilateral concept that provides the basis for institutional reform and modernization of Moldova's military potential. As noted, our country will continue to cooperate with the United States in identifying and countering the hybrid threats faced by the Republic of Moldova, including strengthening cybersecurity. It was emphasized that after a 3-year break due to the pandemic, another joyful event was the return of Peace Corps volunteers, an organization that has been making a significant contribution to establishing strong ties between people and countries for 30 years. In turn, First Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, former US Ambassador to Moldova Dereck J. Hogan noted that the United States will continue to support Moldova, with which they have achieved incredible success in bilateral relations in recent years. “Since the last time I was in Chisinau, we have made incredible progress in bilateral relations. When the people of Moldova boldly chose to move towards European integration and the fight against corruption, we supported them in strengthening democracy. When Russia launched its unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we supported the people of Moldova, who opened their doors to hundreds of thousands of refugees. When Moldova's economic recovery was hit hard by the global pandemic and Putin's war, we supported Moldova in finding new export markets and helping entrepreneurs grow successfully. Regardless of the problem, the US and Moldova will continue to support each other,” said Dereck J. Hogan. // 15.03.2023 — InfoMarket
