White House Asks $126 Mln Georgia Aid for 2023

The fiscal year 2023 budget request by U.S. President Joe Biden’s Administration for the Department of State and USAID envisages providing USD 126.275 million in assistance to Georgia through multiple programs.

Specifically, the largest sum of this amount, USD 88.025 million should be disbursed to Georgia through Assistance to Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia, making it the second largest potential recipient in Europe/Eurasia region after Ukraine (requested USD 420 mln).

Under the Foreign Military Finance fund, Georgia is requested to receive USD 25 million, a drop from USD 35 million in 2021. Despite the decrease, Georgia is still set as the second largest recipient after Ukraine (USD 165 million). The envisaged funding for Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia stands at USD 9.75 million per each.

Further, International Military Education and Training envisages USD 1.75 mln for the country, a decrease from USD 2.2 million in the 2021 budget.

Georgia is also set to receive USD 5 million through Global Health Programs-USAID. The budget draft envisages a further USD 4.4 million for Georgia through International Narcotics and Law Enforcement funding.

Under Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining and Related Programs Georgia is requested to receive USD 1 million and USD 1.1 million specifically through Conventional Weapons Destruction and Export Control and Related Border Security fundings, respectively.

Georgia Priorities Listed

The explanatory notes of the draft budget highlighted that FY 2023 request maintains “high levels of support for Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, and the Western Balkans, while supporting the democratic aspirations of the Belarusian people and promoting peace through regional engagement in the South Caucasus.”

The USD 88 million in aid to the country under Assistance to Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia is aimed at supporting Georgia’s democratic and economic development, and Euro-Atlantic integration, as well as building resilience to counter Kremlin malign influence.

“Funding will help strengthen institutional checks and balances and the rule of law; support efforts led by Georgian civil society to advance democratic and economic development; improve access to independent, reliable, and balanced media; promote political pluralism.”

It also asserted the funding will “support reconciliation efforts including in Abkhazia and South Ossetia; increase energy security and advance clean energy; promote reforms necessary to foster economic development and diversification; advance digitalization and strengthen cyber security and resilience; expand private-sector competitiveness and agricultural productivity; and attract foreign investment.”

“Increased funding will help enhance energy security and cybersecurity, as well as economic opportunities and integration for populations susceptible to Russian malign influence,” it added.

The note for International Military Education and Training said the funding’s “priority recipients include Bulgaria, Georgia, Poland, Romania, Turkey, and Ukraine.”

“Importantly, these programs [IMET] help to ensure that those nations that operate alongside the United States have officers that understand and appreciate the doctrine and operational tactics of the U.S. military.”

The Foreign Military Financing explanatory note also underscored that priority recipients include the Eastern Flank countries of Ukraine, Georgia, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

“As the regional landscape rapidly changes, the strategic security priorities remain steadfast: to counter Russian aggression and influence by bolstering allies’ and partners’ capabilities to exercise sovereignty and defend their territorial integrity, provide for their own defense through improved interoperability with a resolute NATO and other Western forces, the creation of force multipliers in the region, and the implementation of sustainable defense reforms.”

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