YEREVAN. - The whole economy – indeed the whole country –suffers from corruption in Armenia,   the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills stated today at the meeting with the representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia (AmCham).

“I must be frank with our Armenian friends about the very real toll that corruption exacts on Armenia. I hear about that toll from potential U.S. business investors and from average Armenians as I travel the country. When competition among businesses is not fair and not based on objective commercial criteria, when there are powerful interests that have disproportionate economic and political influence, it limits economic growth. The whole economy – indeed the whole country –suffers,” the Ambassador said.

According to him, foreign businesses vote with their investment dollars and if they see a country suffering the ills of corruption they either don’t invest at all, or may decide to pull their money out. “Among Armenians, the burden of corruption falls on the most vulnerable, the small business owners struggling to start and maintain their operations. But corruption affects more than just the economy. Corruption undermines democracy and rule of law. It breeds instability and mistrust in institutions, and it can threaten a nation’s national security,” said Richard Mills.

In his words, corruption definitely happens everywhere, including in the United States. “The key questions for any nation are whether there is political will to attack corruption, whether the media and civil society feel empowered to speak out against corruption, and whether there are reliable judicial processes in place to investigate and prosecute the cases that are brought to light.

My decision to devote U.S. Government attention and resources to fighting corruption is not one made in a vacuum. The impetus comes from the very top of the U.S. Government. In his 2015 National Security Strategy, President Obama outlines why America – at all levels and in all sectors – is partnering with nations and institutions fighting corruption across the globe. With that in mind, let me explain how I, and our Embassy here in Yerevan, plan to tackle this issue.

First of all, we will continue to work with any Armenian governmental or non-governmental institution that demonstrates a commitment to fighting corruption. This will include U.S. Embassy grants to NGOs engaged in anti-corruption activities and that cooperate with government bodies that make progress in fighting corruption and increasing transparency. Our work will also include support to the Government’s Anti-Corruption Council. Our financial assistance to the Council supports concrete activities, such as the continued development of its anticorruption strategy and the establishment of an action plan. I would like to emphasize that we have conditioned our support to the Council on the attainment of measurable achievements. If the Council does not deliver, our support will end, plain and simple. We also encourage NGOs to serve on the AntiCorruption Council, for we see it as an opportunity for civil society to constructively engage in direct dialogue with the government.

Secondly, the U.S. Embassy will continue to help civil society shine a spotlight on corruption and combat it. This past August and September, for example, I believe the U.S. Embassy helped expand the conversation about corruption in Armenia through a series of programs and events that culminated with my interview on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. You can expect the U.S. Embassy to carry out similar anti-corruption-focused efforts in the future,” the Ambassador said.