Much is spoken about the US foreign assistance and the assistance given to Armenia and Artsakh. Based on political expediency different numbers and programs are mentioned.
We would like to clarify a few things.
- The US budget for 2020 is not yet approved.
- There are programs by which it is intended to make the Armenian assistance $6.75 million. This doesn’t mean that there won’t be supplementary assistance.
- The US Congress is the budget approving body and is making the final decisions on budget allocations.
4. The allocation of extra $40 million assistance hasn’t yet been discussed in the Senate, but it was approved by the House of Representatives.
5. Trump’s decision on changing his mind about the reduction of assistance is related to the assistance of last quarter of 2019.
6. US foreign assistance is significantly being reduced for the whole world.
7.The assistance given to Artsakh is one of the programs of USAID, the future of which is vague just like in the case of other programs.
8. USA can nullify any program but in case of necessity, it can revive a program via other channels, including financing from ‘’reserve funds’’ if it is based on its interests․
9. USA provides more military assistance to Azerbaijan, rather than us, not because they like us less, but because Azerbaijan is more important country for the USA.
10. Yes, we can work more effectively to receive additional assistance, but…
11. The Armenian community and lobbyists are more effective in terms of assistance allocated to Armenia and Artsakh than Armenian authorities, but it is objective and logical. Their influence in Washington is more than that of Armenian authorities.
12. There shouldn’t be much hope of receiving much assistance in the upcoming 6 years. Trump still has 2 years and serious chances of being re-elected.
13. The allocation of foreign assistance is a negative perceived by Trump.