The below is attributable to Spokesperson Rebecca Chalif:
Today, Administrator Samantha Power met with Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Ivan Korčok to discuss continued development cooperation with the Slovak Republic. The Administrator thanked Minister Korčok for the Slovak Republic’s continued partnership, formally beginning in 2018 with the signing of the first Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between SlovakAID, the Slovak Republic’s development organization, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Through the MOU, the Slovak Republic and USAID jointly supported community development in Moldova, enabled North Macedonia to continue making progress in its path towards European Union accession, and helped those without housing in Belgrade access clean water, sanitation, and essential healthcare.
During the meeting, the Administrator and the Minister signed a new MOU, which extends the 2018 MOU for an additional three years. The Administrator expressed her hope that the Slovak Republic and USAID could build upon three successful years of cooperation in support of their shared mission to help the countries of Europe and Eurasia achieve their economic and democratic aspirations.
The Administrator noted that the Slovak Republic represents a tremendous development success story, joining the European Union in 2004 and becoming an international development donor, after receiving USAID support between 1990 and 2000. The Administrator also thanked Slovakia for its substantial commitments to bolster democracy and independent media in the region following the Summit for Democracy.
The Administrator and Minister Korčok also discussed the importance of continued cooperation and unity between the U.S. Government, the Slovak Republic, and the European Union to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of the Kremlin’s unprovoked military buildup on Ukraine’s borders.