Foreign Operations Assistance: Georgia

United States Department of State
Office of the Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia
Foreign Operations Assistance Fact Sheet, April 2012*

GEORGIA

U.S. Government (USG) assistance to Georgia supports the consolidation of Georgia’s democracy; its eventual integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions; progress toward a peacefully unified nation, secure in its borders; and further development of its free-market economy. U.S. assistance is designed to build upon programs launched with the $1 billion assistance package provided by the United States following Georgia’s August 2008 conflict with Russia, and to institutionalize gains made in the post-conflict period to ensure strong democratic and economic foundations.

Recent Successes by Areas of Focus:

Peace & Security

• Restoration of maritime assets and strengthening the Georgian Coast Guard (GCG) were a key focus of USG border security assistance in FY 2011. With U.S. funding, the GCG launched two 82-foot Coast Guard vessels, opened a new language center, and completed an upgrade of a radar facilities. Over 200 officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were trained in detection, interdiction, and investigation of violations of the border security.
• U.S. assistance contributed the completion of mine clearance in Abkhazia and the village of Omalo in the fall of 2011.
• Training for federal, state and local law enforcement included a crowd management exercise involving over 200 police.

Governing Justly and Democratically

• BY ACCOUNT	FY 2011 ACTUAL	FY 2012 ESTIMATE	FY 2013 REQUEST
  TOTAL ($000s)	$87,088	$85,057	$68,700
  Assistance for Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia	$65,800	$66,732	$0
  Economic Support Fund	$0	$0	$42,660
  Foreign Military Financing	$15,968	$14,400	$14,400
  Global Health Programs - State	$850	$0	$0
  Global Health Programs - USAID	$0	$0	$4,000
  International Military Education and Training	$1,895	$1,900	$1,800
  International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement	$0	$0	$4,000
  Nonproliferation, Antiterrorism, Demining and Related Programs	$2,575	$2,025	$1,840

  USG assistance helped strengthen civil society in Georgia, including by grants that enabled regional media to better monitor government decision-making and transparency, and civil society organizations (CSOs) throughout Georgia to conduct policy analyses and advocacy initiatives on issues such as healthcare, education, environmental sustainability, and employment. A USG-supported training program for civics teachers was developed and received state accreditation.
• USG assistance strengthened the rule of law by supporting implementation of Georgia’s new Criminal Procedures Code and the successful introduction of jury trials, and by helping the High Council of Justice make significant steps towards transparency and public participation.
• USG programs helped increase government transparency, accountability and responsiveness, including by helping the Parliament open its budgetary process to citizens and the media.

Investing in People

• USG programs to support improved healthcare in Georgia attained progress in at all levels of the health system. Programs provided technical assistance in areas such as service delivery, health information, health financing, leadership, and governance. USG assistance also contributed to HIV prevention among high-risk groups; strengthened the Georgian national tuberculosis response system; promoted quality services to reduce maternal and infant mortality and morbidity; and supported increases in modern contraceptive use and decreased abortion rates.
• Education programs improved quality of services, including through financial management support that helped increase funding per child in rural areas by 20 percent.
• Social programs provided home-based rehabilitation and social rehabilitation services to 60 severely disabled children and re-integration and foster care services to 415 vulnerable children.

Economic Growth

• BY OBJECTIVE	FY 2011 ACTUAL	FY 2012 ESTIMATE	FY 2013 REQUEST
  TOTAL ($000s)	$87,088	$85,057	$68,700
  Peace and Security	$25,828	$22,009	$21,747
  Governing Justly and Democratically	$23,968	$25,261	$22,436
  Investing in People	$11,545	$7,851	$6,000
  Economic Growth	$25,241	$27,936	$17,517
  Humanitarian Assistance	$506	$2,000	$1,000

  The U.S. assisted the GOG in attracting $200 million in foreign investment for the construction of a 110 MW hydropower plant with an estimated 1,000 construction jobs.
• Assistance addressed Georgia’s severe shortage of agricultural machinery by establishing 13 centers that provided plowing, harvesting and extension services for 7,700 farmers.
• In FY 2011, USG efforts led to over $23 million in new investments in greenhouse and cold storage facilities; contributed to the completion of the Poti-Senaki gas pipeline to supply gas to 17,000 customers and industrial users; and supported vocational education trainings and job fairs that helped over 6,000 people find employment.
• USG assistance helped Georgia address financial crime by helping establish Georgia’s first cybercrime unit in the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Humanitarian Assistance

• The USG funded ten small projects providing structural repair to recipient institutions. The program also completed delivery and distribution of two airlifts and 55 surface containers of humanitarian aid, including medicines; medical supplies; equipment; and hygiene and school kits. USG-funded mobile medical teams and program-supported clinics provided medical services to vulnerable populations throughout Georgia.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Coordinator's Office Annual Reports
U.S. Embassy Website
www.foreignassistance.gov
Millennium Challenge Corporation

*This fact sheet does not reflect Peace Corps funding or centrally managed or regional Foreign Operations funding that is not specifically budgeted for Georgia.