U.S. Department of State

Foreign Operations Appropriated Assistance*
Fiscal Year (FY) 2007: $33.94 Million (M) ($28.10M SEED, $5.84M Other)
Estimate FY 2008: $26.05M ($21.82M SEED, $4.23M Other)

Assistance Goals: The United States Government (USG) assistance to Macedonia focuses on the following key goals: facilitating Macedonia’s continued development on the path toward full integration into the Euro-Atlantic community; assisting the Macedonian government’s efforts to sustain economic and democratic reforms that will yield strong, stable political and market-oriented economic institutions. USG assistance also prepares Macedonia for the responsibilities of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and European Union (EU) membership. The USG strives to reform Macedonia’s military in order to make the country an even stronger partner in the War on Terror.

Areas of Focus (Foreign Operations Appropriated Assistance):

• Professionalize the judicial system to combat transnational crime;
• Support Macedonian contributions to peacekeeping operations in the fight against terrorism and strengthen regional stability;
• Improve the organization and professionalism of Macedonia’s military to make it more interoperable with NATO member forces regionally and internationally.

Governing Justly and Democratically (GJD): FY 2007: $9.53M, Est. FY 2008: $7.99M

• Strengthen democratic institutions for future membership in NATO and the EU;
• Build the capacity of civil society organizations to represent citizens’ interests in the reform process through policy development, oversight of the government and policy initiatives with local governments.

Investing in People (IIP): FY 2007: $7.50m, Est. FY 2008: $4.03m

• Increase the quality, access and relevance of basic and higher education.

Economic Growth (EG): FY 2007: $8.89m, Est. FY 2008: $8.80m

• Improve the business environment by stimulating increased investment;
• Improve Macedonia’s market position in the global economy;
• Enhance quality and efficiency of agribusinesses to improve product value.

Recent Successes:

• Helped Macedonia meet significant NATO reform targets, specifically in its transition to a more flexible and professional force. Financed equipment to improve interoperability between Macedonian and NATO forces during regional exercises and with coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan;
• The justice system improved its prosecution of corruption cases. More than ten judges were discharged from the bench for unethical conduct, four of which were prosecuted and sentenced to prison. Thirty police and customs officers were convicted of corruption. In another case involving former government officials, 23 defendants were convicted on charges;
• Supported the Integrated Quality System, which has emerged to provide assistance in implementation of food safety standards. USG assistance resulted in higher sales, more exports and new jobs, including $8.4M in exports and 124 new jobs in fruit and vegetable production alone;
• Support to Roma disadvantaged students has resulted in retention rates of 98% for assisted primary school students versus just 42% for unassisted Roma students; and the national Internet penetration rate has increased from 6% to 32% due in large part to USG activities.

*Division J of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act: Department of State Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2008, including: SEED, Child Survival and Health (CSH), NADR, IMET and FMF.

**Estimate from FY 2009 Congressional Budget Justification; Website: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/101440.pdf.