Signed Memorandum on Development Cooperation between BIH and US Government



Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH and Minister of Finance and Treasury Dr Nikola Špirić and Head of USAID Mission in BIH David Barth signed today a Memorandum of Understanding on Development Cooperation between BIH and the US Government for 2012-2016.

Minister Špirić said that, after the signing of the Memorandum, procedures for implementation, by the USAID and BIH beneficiaries, of individual projects will be simplified.

“All these years, the USAID keeps providing considerable development support to different segments of society, so this Memorandum will enable future cooperation to improve and become more effective”, Špirić said. He added that the Memorandum represents a legal framework governing the relationship between the USAID and its BIH partners, providing that budgeted project funds should be directed for development of competitive and market-oriented economy, which should, eventually, contribute to improvement of the economic situation in BIH.

Director of the USAID Mission in BIH David Barth assessed the Memorandum of Understanding as the beginning of new relations between the USA and BIH.

“This Memorandum will facilitate the realisation of partner relations of the USAID with government institutions and implementation of programmed funds through local systems and by local developers. Such partnership of the two governments will represent a challenge for the BIH institutions, for it requires the establishment of a reliable, transparent and effective system with the effective use of grants.  US citizens are generous people, but they expect for each dollar they provide to be truly spent for the improvement of the living standard of BIH citizens”, Barth said.

He added that the USAID was, over the past 17 years, helping BIH citizens to rebuild the country.

“Our joint effort is not complete yet. This Memorandum represents a new partnership to help implement local solutions in an accountable and reliable fashion”, Barth said.

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