The amount can be later increased up to $330 million, the press service of the republic’s government said
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has allocated Georgia a $67 million grant which can be further increased to $330 million to develop a number of areas in the country. This was reported by the Georgian government’s press service on Friday.
“Today we are signing a very important grant agreement with our strategic partner the United States of America. The purpose of the agreement to promote sustainable development in Georgia is to create well-paid and high-quality jobs, strengthen government accountability and reinforce democratic achievements”, – Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said at the signing ceremony of the agreement to allocate the funds.
According to the prime minister, the money will be spent on developing the economy, free market, strengthening “the western development orientation of the country” as well as agriculture, conflict resolution, strengthening the rule of law, human rights, improving democracy, basic education, social services and environmental protection.
Over the years of cooperation, USAID has provided $1.8 billion in aid to Georgia, and has carried out 335 programs in the areas of agriculture, energy, infrastructure, environment, education, and health, Garibashvili said. To date, 35 projects worth $260 million are being implemented under the auspices of USAID in the country.
Georgia and the U.S. have been cooperating since 1992 in politics, economics, trade and, since the late 1990s, in defense and security. In January 2009, a charter for a strategic partnership between the two countries was drawn up in Washington, D.C., providing for cooperation in security, defense, trade, economics, culture and the humanitarian sphere.