Speeches, Remarks & Statements in 2009

Ambassador Reeker Remarks for Booz Allen Hamilton 10th Anniversary Celebration

October 8, 2009, 7:00 pm

Thank you, Don, for your kind introduction.  President Ivanov, General Stojanovski, Ministers, distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, good evening. 

It is a pleasure for me to be here tonight to celebrate ten years of Booz Allen Hamilton’s operations in Macedonia, ten years of their collaboration with the United States Government in our partnership with the Republic of Macedonia.

This partnership has remained consistently strong since the time of Macedonian independence, and we are proud of the benefits that have resulted for both the United States and Macedonia.

During the difficult post-independence years, through ethnic and political tensions internally and with neighbors, the U.S. worked alongside the Republic of Macedonia through initiatives to implement the rule of law and to strengthen democratic institutions.

Our work together on the revision and drafting of trade laws and the capacity building of trade-related institutions resulted in World Trade Organization accession in 2003.

We assisted, and continue to assist, the Ministry of Defense in training its staff on NATO accession protocol.  The fact that every NATO member agreed the country was ready for membership at the summit in Bucharest in 2008 is a testament to how successful that effort has been.  The United States is especially grateful for the Republic of Macedonia’s contributions to operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan.   Macedonian soldiers carried out over 200 joint and independent combat missions in Iraq and currently provide over 160 troops to coalition forces in Afghanistan.

We have collaborated with several other key ministries, including the Ministries of Economy, Finance, and Labor, to improve the business environment and lay the foundation for EU Accession.

We have also partnered with members of the private sector to provide support to key industries such as ICT and Agribusiness, which have subsequently developed an increased competitive edge with respect to their sister industries in neighboring countries as well as within the broader EU marketplace.

Booz Allen Hamilton has been a key player in all of the joint efforts I’ve just mentioned.

But there still remains a lot to be done, particularly to improve the investment environment.  Although the Government has taken many steps to attract foreign direct investment, issues of legal certainty, property rights and transparency continue to discourage many investors.  Lack of enforcement of the well-established legal and regulatory framework sends a mixed message to prospective investors, and we will continue to help make that message better and consistent.

We look forward to working together to resolve these issues, to further strengthen the economy of Macedonia.

We greatly value the mutual and lasting benefits of the Macedonia-U.S. partnership, and we look forward to continuing this close collaboration and friendship.  Companies like Booz Allen Hamilton are very much a part of that effort.  Congratulations on 10 years! 

Thank you.