US budget 2022 includes $88 mln for Georgia
The US administration has submitted to Congress President Joe Biden's budget for fiscal year 2022 on May 28. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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The US Department of State has released the US Congressional Budget Justification for 2022, which includes $88 million in assistance for Georgia.
The US assistance ‘will support Georgia’s democratisation, economic development, Euro-Atlantic integration, and build resilience to counter Kremlin malign influence’.
Funding will help strengthen institutional checks and balances and the rule of law; develop a more vibrant civil society; improve access to independent, reliable, and balanced media; promote political pluralism; support reconciliation efforts including in Abkhazia; increase energy security and advance clean energy; promote reforms necessary to foster economic development; expand private-sector competitiveness and agricultural productivity; and attract foreign investment”, the document reads.
It also notes that ‘increased funding will help enhance energy security and cybersecurity, as well as economic opportunities and integration for populations susceptible to Russian malign influence’.
US State Secretary Antony J. Blinken has raised ‘Russian military aggression’ in Ukraine and Georgia during his recent phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
United States President Joe Biden has wished the Georgian people a happy and healthy Independence Day on May 26 in a letter sent to Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili. “The anniversary of a nation’s independence is not only a day of celebration, it offers a moment to honour the history and values that are ingrained in the national character, and to look to the future”, Biden wrote.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia and Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze have congratulated the United States President-elect Joe Biden on his election victory. Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said that Georgia looks forward to continue ‘further strengthening the US-Georgia Strategic partnership’ under his presidency.
The topic of Georgia should be on the agenda at the next meeting of the President of the United States with his Russian counterpart, to send a signal that the US is "fully allied" with the country, Georgia's Ambassador to the United States David Bakradze says in an opinion piece for Newsweek.
A congressional delegation led by US Senator Jeanne Shaheen, and including Senator Rob Portman, will visit Georgia next week to reaffirm US commitment. Shaheen and Portman will visit Georgia to send a bipartisan message that the United States stands with the people of Georgia in their efforts to strengthen their democracy.
United States Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan is pleased that the opposition United National Movement party is entering the parliament. However, she is disappointed that the party has decided not to sign the EU-mediated agreement so far.
United States Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Rob Portman have met with the government and opposition in Georgia as the final stop of their bipartisan congressional delegation in Eastern Europe. During the meeting with PM Irakli Garibashvili the US senators discussed the Georgia-US strategic partnership as well as Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations and the importance of Black Sea security.
United States Acting Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker will travel to Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on June 6-13 ‘to advance bilateral and regional priorities and to express US support for democratic and economic development across the region’.
The McDonald’s Group in Georgia has opened its first bread factory, Breadfield, in the capital city of Tbilisi today which will supply buns to McDonalds restaurants not only in Georgia, but also in Armenia and Azerbaijan.