US Ambassador’s NYE message: ‘Americans and Georgians showed that we can, will stand together no matter the challenges’
US Ambassador Kelly Degnan officially assumed her duties in January 2020. Photo: US Embassy press office.
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US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan, along with former US ambassadors and the embassy staff has sent a New Year’s Eve greeting for Georgians in which she said that during the pandemic Americans and Georgians showed that ‘we can and will stand together no matter the challenges.’
This has been a difficult year for so many around the world with a lot of uncertainty, change, and far too many losses. Time like this reminds us how precious our family, friends, and colleagues are and how much we cheer the time we spend together. The challenges of 2020 did not prevent us from finding new ways to continue our important work in Georgia. I’m so impressed with how much we have been able to accomplish working together. COVID-19 will not keep us down,” Degnan said.
Degnan stated that ‘all this good work’ has caught the eye of diplomats who served in Georgia in the past and they sent her emails, messages and videos ‘to reminisce about their wonderful friends and memories of Georgia.’
Head and the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili and his wife have hosted the new Ambassador of the US to Georgia Kelly Degnan and her husband at Ivanishvili’s business center in Tbilisi, the Georgian Dream press office reports.
Newly appointed US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan met with Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Garibashvili earlier today, promising support ‘for successful reforms and further strengthening of cooperation,’ Georgian Defence Ministry reports.The Georgian Defence Readiness Programme, increased foreign financial support and joint exercises have been discussed during the meeting.
United States Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan said the United States would like to see Georgia’s constitutional amendments ‘accepted, adopted by a full parliament’ so that Georgia can have ‘a truly successful achievement and fulfilment' of the March 8 election agreement.
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan summarised her first three months in the role during a virtual press conference earlier today, during which she focused on the challenges presented by the coronavirus, the Russian occupation of Georgian territories and the March 8 election agreement.
Georgia has reported a total of 342 new cases of coronavirus after conducting 3,288 tests over the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, 2,981 people have recovered and 44 individuals have died. 8,181 individuals remain infected with the virus.
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan says that this year’s municipal elections ‘will be a serious test for Georgian democracy.’