Karen Karapetyan: United States of America is one of the key partners  of Armenia

ArmInfo.Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan yesterday attended the event dedicated to the 25th anniversary of cooperation between Armenia and the Agency of 

International Development of US(USAID).

According to the press service of the executive body of the state, 

the Prime Minister congratulated on 25th anniversary of the effective 

cooperation and implementation of many programs which definitely  had 

positive influence in economic and social development of Armenia, 

strengthened two-sided cultural and directly simple human relations.  

According to Karen Karapetyan, starting from 1992, Armenia, in the 

name of  US Agency for International Development, is a trusted 

partner. "Together with the agency, we have completed joint work over 

the years, based on the requirements of that period and placing 

emphasis on those challenges, which were most relevant at the time 

and in that situation, "the prime minister said.

In the 1990s, as Karapetyan pointed out, they were mainly connected 

with the formation of market economy and democratic institutions in 

Armenia, as well as projects aimed at eliminating the consequences of 

the earthquake, humanitarian programs. Since the late 1990s, the 

transition to a new format of cooperation has been made - for the 

sake of sustainable economic development, emphasis has been placed on 

strengthening the market economy, the private sector, macroeconomic 

reforms, stimulating the investment environment and laying the 

foundations for sustainable development. "We continued to work on the 

development and development of civil society and democratic 

institutions," he said. Currently, according to the head of the 

Armenian government, Armenia continues to work with American partners 

on numerous programs aimed at ensuring economic growth, the 

development of democratic institutions, social and educational 

spheres. The Premier also noted that the American University of 

Armenia, during these decades, gave Armenia thousands of highly 

qualified personnel, which was also due to the participation of the 

International Development Agency and numerous patrons of art.

According to the Prime Minister, the United States of America is one 

of Armenia's key partners. "We cooperate in numerous spheres, but I 

am sure that we have an even greater potential for cooperation, which 

we must develop and implement," he said. As Karapetyan noted, at 

present Armenia is going through a new stage of reforms. "We 

initiated reforms in our country in all sectors to ensure sustainable 

long-term growth for the country and make Armenia competitive in a 

changing world." We need a sharp increase in efficiency in all 

spheres, as well as changes in thinking and ways of acting, "the head 

of government said. 

The Prime Minister stressed that at present the most important decree 

for the republic is the reforms we are conducting in Armenia. "We do 

not hide the fact that we expect direct and active cooperation of our 

partners with Armenia in the process of implementing these most 

important reforms, I hope, more accurately, I am confident that the 

cooperation that has become stronger and which has been on the 

foundation of these 25 years will expand even more in the coming 

years and we will attach a new quality and a new level of our 

relations, "Karapetyan concluded. It should be reminded that on the 

eve, on the sidelines of celebrating the 25th anniversary of USAID 

activities in Armenia, the US Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills, 

summing up the results of the Organization's 25-year activity in 

Armenia, noted that the US Agency for International Development 

(USAID) for a quarter of a century in Armenia the country's 

assistance to $ 1 billion. According to him, the allocated funds were 

spent efficiently and the assistance was directed at realizing the 

priorities important for the Armenian people. At the same time, Mills 

noted that he is proud of the fact that the main USAID projects are 

implemented by local organizations. "This is due to the fact that 

over the past 25 years, civil society and structures have been formed 

in Armenia that can meet the needs of the people and they have the 

capacity to implement the Organization's programs." Armenia is among 

the leaders on this issue, "the diplomat said.