US authorities will provide Moldova with an additional $38 million in aid and will cooperate with the Congress to provide it with another $75 million
Erin McKee, Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced this while speaking in Chisinau at the 5th Ministerial Conference within the Moldova Partnership Platform. She noted that the United States remains deeply committed to its more than 30-year partnership with Moldova and looks forward to continued cooperation in order to build a democratic, prosperous and secure future for all Moldovan citizens. Erin McKee, who heads the US delegation, emphasized that the additional US assistance includes $38 million to improve energy security, boost trade, support independent media and strengthen local governance. The US will also provide an additional $4 million through USAID to further expand the export of fruits from Moldova and increase support for small and medium-sized enterprises. She said the US also announced, through the State Department and USAID, a commitment to work with the US Congress to provide an additional $75 million to strengthen critical transportation and logistics infrastructure and Moldova's cybersecurity capabilities. The new funding will bring the total amount of the US assistance to Moldova to $949 million starting from February 2022. As it was noted, the US has provided more than $2.6 billion in assistance to Moldova since its independence. In a meeting with Romanian Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu, Assistant Administrator Erin McKee discussed US-Romanian cooperation to further strengthen Moldova's energy security. The US, through USAID, is working with the Romanian Ministry of Energy to expand Moldova's access to the European electricity market by committing to jointly support operators Transelectrica and Moldelectrica in the design and construction of a new 400 kV transmission line that will connect Straseni, Moldova, and Gutinas, Romania. The US and Romania are committed to energy independence and reducing Moldova's dependence on Russian energy sources. As noted today at the Moldova Partnership Platform, this is another example of allies working together, pooling expertise and resources to support Moldova's future. // 17.09.2024 – InfoMarket
