Details of UN-Abkhazia aid package “misinterpreted”

A United Nations (UN) representative has voiced concerned over incorrect information being spread in the media after a UN statement was "misinterpreted”.

Yesterday, Abkhazian media released information about the UN’s humanitarian aid in Abkhazia, which stated the UN would offer $15million USD to Abkhazia, a breakaway region of Georgia.

It claimed the de-facto Government could directly address UN donor countries in a bid to convince them of investing money in Abkhazia.

However UN Resident Coordinator in Georgia Niels Scott said the above statement was incorrect.

Also, he said the news had been interpreted that the UN did not support Georgia’s territorial integrity, but this was untrue.

"The information released by the media deferred from the position of the UN. I would like to highlight that the released news was misinterpreted and we are disappointed that we have to make corrections on it now,” Scott said today after meeting with Georgia’s deputy Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani.  

Yesterday Abkhazian news agency Apsni Press reported the UN would give $15million USD to Abkhazia to implement social projects in the current year, and this amount might be increased if the government "directly addressed the UN donor countries and convinced them of the necessity to invest their money in Abkhazia”.

The news aroused the controversial idea that the UN’s position was against Georgia’s territorial integrity.  

Apsni Press released the information following a meeting between Scott and Abkhazia's de-facto President Alexander Ankvab in Sokhumi.

To clarify the situation, Scott said: "We had a general discussion with the government of Abkhazia; particularly by what kind of aid can the international society provide to the local people, including rehabilitation of social infrastructure, such as schools and medical facilities, healthcare programmes, including vaccination and HIV/AIDS prevention, and assistance to people who are displaced.”

He underlined the UN program was implemented in close coordination with all relevant partners and stakeholders, including the Government of Georgia and the international donor community.

Georgia’s Deputy Foreign Minister confirmed the media had released incorrect information.  

"The UN Resident Coordinator confirmed it was incorrect that the de-facto government could directly address UN donor countries and convinced them of the necessity to invest their money in Abkhazia,” Zalkaliani said.

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), in collaboration with the Georgian Government, implemented this kind of project in Georgia’s breakaway regions each year.