"A decision leading to even more isolation." Opinion on banning USAID activities in Abkhazia
USAID in Abkhazia
Director of the Abkhazian “Center for Humanitarian Programs” Arda Inal-ipa expressed her opinion about the ban on the activities of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) introduced in Abkhazia. According to Inal-ipa, this is “an anti-Abkhazian decision that leads to further isolation of Abkhazia”.
On December 7, Abkhaz Foreign Minister Inal Ardzinba said that the Foreign Ministry would not certify new projects funded in part or in full by USAID.
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Ardzinba explained that one of the USAID-sponsored projects is aimed at creating “dialogue with the purpose of establishing direct contact between citizens of the Republic of Abkhazia and citizens of Georgia”, and that on the USAID website, Abkhazia is considered “occupied territory of Georgia”.
Arda Inal-ipa comments:
“Minister Ardzinba has long set as his goal not to work with international organizations, not to persuade them, not to direct international funds to solve actual problems of Abkhazia, but to cut off international partners, to cut off Abkhazia from the outside world and turn it into a closed territory.
In fact, Inal Ardzinba is not engaged in diplomacy at all, on the contrary – he is undermining achievements of our previous ministers and their colleagues in building relations with various international organizations.
Our society and our authorities must realize that anti-Abkhazian decisions are being adopted before our eyes, leading to even greater isolation of Abkhazia. Such decrees significantly complicate the task of expanding international contacts of Abkhazia, without which it is impossible to promote the idea of recognizing our independence.”
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