Catherine Kannam is Chemonics’ chief operating officer. Prior to this role, she was the senior vice president (SVP) for Chemonics’ Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Afghanistan region as well as the SVP for Chemonics’ Gender, Equality, and Social Inclusion and Peace, Stability and Transition technical practices. She also oversaw our unit focused on Office of Transitions…
In Armenia, citizens 65 years and older make up the largest percentage of the country’s poor population. To reduce old-age poverty and promote the income security of the elderly, the government decided to prioritize pension reform. The USAID Pension Reform Implementation Program (PRIP) worked with the Armenian government, the private sector, and civil society to…
John Thissen is a public finance management specialist with more than 20 years of experience in tax policy, revenue estimation, and forecasting, and impact analysis. He is currently a director in the Europe and Eurasia region and manages the USAID Public Financial Management IQC. John has developed the capacity of the public sector to support…
Mario Kerby has 41 years of experience in environmental management, integrated water resources management, agriculture and rural development, and public financial management. He is currently serving as a senior director in the Middle East and North Africa business unit where he oversees the implementation of the Iraq Durable Communities and Economic Opportunities (DCEO) program to…
Tunisia is in the middle of an economic transformation, the long-term success of which will depend on improving the country’s tax and customs systems. The USAID Tunisia Tax and Customs Reform Pilot Activity (TCP) supported this transition by working with government ministry personnel to develop tax and customs policies and administrative systems that will fuel…
Although countries’ specific contexts influence their national policies, there are best practices for economic development from which all countries can learn. Drawing on best practices and lessons learned from USAID programming, the Asia and Middle East Economic Growth Best Practices (AMEG) project developed effective interventions that strengthened economic institutions and governance. In collaboration with USAID…
Although recent modernization and market reform have improved Vietnam’s economy, there are still vulnerable populations that have been unable to reap the benefits of this growth. The USAID Governance for Inclusive Growth (GIG) program worked with the public and private sectors in Vietnam to enhance governance and facilitate trade. The program improved the country’s legal…
With underdeveloped laws and regulations, Mongolia has had to make great strides in tax policy and reform to foster economic growth. The USAID Mongolia Business Plus Initiative (BPI) strengthened the private sector’s role in the country’s economic growth, developing laws and procedures to improve the legal and institutional environment in which businesses formed and expanded.…
An efficient network infrastructure is integral to helping a government operate smoothly. The USAID Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) project supported the Haitian government to restore and expand the country’s IFSM-related network infrastructure. IFMS set up the hardware and software systems and also trains government ministries in these systems to increase their efficiency. The project’s…
Kosovo is investing in its business environment to enhance the private sector and create employment opportunities across the country.
The USAID Afghanistan Public Financial Management project aimed to improve the government of Afghanistan’s ability to manage its long-term revenue generation and spending, taxes, and other domestic financial activities. This project’s success depended on ensuring that the Afghan government maintains its ability to deliver essential services to citizens and its ability to repay loans. To…
A dynamic financial sector that provides access to diverse financial products and services for businesses and individuals creates economic opportunities and widespread benefits. Yet, many emerging and rebuilding economies have significant gaps in their financial infrastructure, inadequate legal and regulatory frameworks, and limited expertise that hinders efforts to create and maintain sound financial sectors. The…