US and Ukraine sign memorandum on monitoring use of aid

The United States and Ukraine have signed a memorandum to monitor the use of international assistance provided to Ukraine.

Source: Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, after a meeting with officials of the Office of the US Department of Defense Inspector General in Kyiv, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The purpose of the memorandum of understanding is to strengthen cooperation in the field of control over the use of international assistance.

Among other things, it provides for:

• exchange of relevant information to detect, confirm and prevent fraud or corruption affecting or relating to security assistance provided by the United States to Ukraine;
• conducting joint activities to detect, confirm and prevent fraud and corruption;
• establishing a mechanism for the mutual transmission of requests related to investigations and activities within the authority and jurisdiction of the parties;
• holding periodic meetings to identify priority areas of cooperation.

The memorandum was signed by Admiral Ihor Voronchenko, Chief Inspector of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, and by Robert Storch, the US Department of Defense Inspector General.

During his meeting with Storch, Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umierov also told him about the introduction of a system of monitoring, risk management, compliance, corruption prevention in procurement, and democratic control tools in the defence sector.

Umierov expressed confidence that all monitoring mechanisms would be properly operational by the end of April.

Background:

• Three US inspectors arrived in Kyiv on Monday.
• Victoria Nuland, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs of the United States, arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday, 31 January, for a visit.

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