News - US government announces $20.6M support to Armenia

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power have spotlighted the democratic progress in Armenia and announced $20,600,000 from the United States to bolster progress, informs the US Embassy in Armenia. New commitments announced at the UN General Assembly will support government reform efforts and facilitate improvements to public services as part of USAID’s Democracy Delivers Initiative. On Wednesday, at the USAID “Democracy Delivers” event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Secretary of State Blinken and USAID Administrator Power, in partnership with the Ford Foundation, convened fellow government leaders, philanthropic partners, and civil society to increase support to Armenia and other countries experiencing democratic openings around the world. Working with the US Congress, USAID and the US Department of State announced $20 million for Armenia to bolster cyber, border, and energy security and to strengthen resilience against complex threats and challenges. An additional $600,000 of Promoting Information Integrity and Resilience Initiative (ProInfo) funding has been announced through USAID to enhance the technological capacities of independent media to produce impactful and public interest journalism, leverage innovation to promote media and information literacy, and to bolster the local advocacy for key media reforms in Armenia. This $20,600,000 in new support for Armenia builds upon approximately $11.9 million in funding announced during Administrator Power’s July visit to Yerevan. That funding will strengthen economic resilience, advance digital transformation, and support disaster preparedness. Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia, joined the event alongside leaders and senior representatives from countries experiencing democratic openings and highlighted Armenia’s democratic progress welcoming new investments and collaborations furthering democratic resilience. Secretary Blinken and Administrator Power launched the Democracy Delivers Initiative in 2022 to bring together a multi-stakeholder coalition of partners and surge resources to countries undergoing moments of democratic renewal to help deliver tangible, lasting progress for citizens. By prioritizing responsiveness to citizen needs and enhancing transparency and accountability, these commitments will strengthen government reform efforts and facilitate improvements to public services. “In July, I traveled to Yerevan to build on this essential progress and see the work the Armenian people are putting into their democracy firsthand. And now, I’m pleased to take this moment to announce that, working with Congress, USAID and the Department of State will provide $20 million for Armenia to bolster cyber, border, and energy security and to further strengthen its resilience,” said Administrator Power in her opening remarks. Continuing the momentum of the Summit for Democracy process and building upon previous Democracy Delivers events, the gathering underscored the United States’ continued commitment to convening the world’s democracies and to galvanize collective and sustained action and ensure that democracy delivers opportunity and dignity for all. Together, we can prove that democracy can win and deliver for all.