What projects does America have in the Republic of Azerbaijan?

According to the international group Tasnim News Agency these days in the media close to the government Republic of Azerbaijan, we read that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is rioting in Azerbaijan.

Of course, the media close to the government of Azerbaijan have their reasons for this: Samantha Power, the head of the United States Agency for International Development After Azerbaijan’s anti-terrorist operation, he spoke about the displacement of 100 thousand Armenians. Before this, no head of USAID spoke about hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis who were displaced from their homes due to the occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia in this way and did not condemn the occupier. The Azerbaijani government is also unhappy with this.

In addition, “James O’Brien”, the US assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, also criticized the Azerbaijani authorities regarding Armenia in a statement. said that the visit of high-ranking officials of Azerbaijan to America has been canceled and bilateral relations cannot be the same as before. This approach of the American government in the Republic of Azerbaijan was evaluated as unilateral and unfair.

Another reason for the dissatisfaction of the Azerbaijani authorities with the United States is that AbzasMedia, whose leaders were accused of smuggling and investigating Law violations and corruption cases have been arrested in the Republic of Azerbaijan, receiving financial assistance and financial support from the US Agency for International Development. However, the US government only provides critical or opposition media in The Republic of Azerbaijan has not allocated financial aid.

Research shows that the United States Agency for Global Development has also implemented projects in Azerbaijan together with the government. Government organizations and ministries have also sent their employees abroad for training with American financial aid, and even high-ranking government officials have studied in this country within the framework of American programs.

This question What is USAID? What works does he do in the Republic of Azerbaijan and what projects does he implement with the officials of this country?

1. United States Agency for International Development (USAID ) What is it?

US Agency for Global Development or USAID for short is introduced as one of the largest aid organizations in the world, but its main goal is to develop influence In governing countries, it is to make countries dependent, to get raw materials, to create markets for American industries and to increase the strength of the dollar. It implements governance, democracy and human rights and is mainly funded by the US government budget.

USAID has representative offices in more than 80 countries and more than 100 programs.

2. What projects does it implement in the Republic of Azerbaijan?

According to the website of the United States Agency for Global Development, this institution has been working in the Republic of Azerbaijan since 1991 with the government of Azerbaijan, the private sector Local and civil society is committed to improving the lives of Azerbaijanis.

In recent USAID reports, it can be seen that in recent years, Azerbaijan has paid more attention to the development of agriculture, women’s entrepreneurship, small and medium businesses, increasing youth skills and the creation of women’s resource centers in the regions.

For example, according to the information published by the agency, last year it allocated about 3 million dollars for the development of the private sector. Is. In comparison, it has spent $300,000 on human rights projects.

3. Joint projects of the Azerbaijan government and USAID What areas does it cover and how much funding is allocated?

Since 1991, USAID has provided $431 million in humanitarian assistance, according to the agency’s website. The health sector has invested in economic and management reforms in Azerbaijan.

USAID implements various projects with the government of Azerbaijan in the areas of governance improvement, economic diversification, health, immigration and education.

It is written on the website of this institution that it cooperates with the government committee on family, women and children problems and the Ministry of Interior in the field of preventing and fighting human trafficking.

USAID reports that it is cooperating with Azersu OJSC, Baku Transport Agency, Baku Traffic Police Department and other government agencies within the framework of the public control online platform that has been running for two years.

Furthermore, with the support of USAID, the Ministry of Health, the State Agency for Compulsory Medical Insurance and TABIB organized a series of webinars within the framework of the “Pandemic Response Actions in Azerbaijan” project.

Since 2020, USAID has allocated four million dollars to support Azerbaijan’s efforts to fight against Covid-19. Last year, in an interview with news agencies, he said that since 2019, cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, AZPROMO and other institutions has been carried out in the framework of the “Support to the Private Sector” program in Azerbaijan.

Platform Professional Development and Innovation PROGRO, established by the State Employment Agency under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of Azerbaijan, is funded by USAID. The purpose of this platform is to improve the professional skills of young people so that they can respond to the needs of the labor market.

4. Why is Azerbaijan’s government angry with USAID?

On November 21, USAID announced that more than 4 million dollars to provide aid Humanitarian has allocated to 100,000 Armenians who left Nagorno-Karabakh. Samantha Power, head of this organization, wrote on her platform X account that they decided to allocate humanitarian aid to Armenian refugees after the last anti-terrorist operation carried out by Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijani President’s Assistant Hekmat Hajiyev criticized America after his post at the X Platform.

He said: despite the ethnic cleansing of more than one million Azeri refugees as a result of Armenia’s 30-year occupation of the lands Azerbaijan, the United States stood by the occupying government of Armenia.

Hakmat Hajiyev replied: “Remove the masks.” There is no more place for USAID to operate in Azerbaijan.

After that, the media close to the Azerbaijani authorities accused USAID of “provocative” activities, and some independent media and activists Feminist was accused of collaborating with this institution.

Sveinj Vaqif Qezi, Olavi Hassanali and Mohammad Kekalov, heads of AbzasMedia, were arrested following media accusations. These journalists have been accused of smuggling with their professional activities and are spending their time in prison.

But America did not provoke Azerbaijan’s anger only because of Samantha Power’s statements.

US Assistant Secretary of State James O’Brien said in his speech to the US Congress on November 15 that bilateral relations with Azerbaijan cannot be the same as before, and Washington has postponed high-level bilateral meetings and contacts with Baku.

He said: The United States will not extend the exemption period from Amendment 907, which prohibits direct aid to Azerbaijan, until peace talks between the two countries progress.

p dir=”RTL”>Calling the American official’s statements “biased”, Baku announced on November 16 that it has canceled high-level visits from this country.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev In a telephone conversation with Anthony Blinken, the US Minister of Foreign Affairs, he did not hide his displeasure with this speech and said that these recent statements and actions have seriously damaged the relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the United States.

5. Which high-ranking officials of Azerbaijan studied in America?

In addition to the USAID line, there are also programs financed by American financial aid in the field of education of the Republic of Azerbaijan. .

Since the late 1990s, dozens of Azerbaijanis have been studying or being trained in America every year within the framework of FLEX, Edmund Muskie, Hubert Humphrey, Fulbright and other short-term and long-term educational programs.

RTL”>including Mikael Jabarov, Minister of Economy, Samir Nuriev, Head of the Presidential Administration, Rashad Nabiov, Minister of Digital Development and Transportation, Amin Amrullahov, Minister of Education, Vasal Hosseinov, Head of the Immigration Department, and Jihon Karamov, Head of the Vocational Education Department.

Amin Shaik Ebrahimov, a former diplomat of Azerbaijan, says that when he worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he participated in some courses with the financial assistance of the American government, and even many diplomats and representatives of other institutions also did this.

He wrote on his X account that the most memorable period in his life was a 3-month retreat in 2008 at the Marshall Center in Bavaria, USA.

6. Why was the meeting of the American Embassy with educated Azeri graduates of this country canceled?

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the FLEX program and the 20th anniversary of the Hubert H. Humphrey program, the alumni association Educated in the United States planned a graduation party in the United States on November 27 at a famous hotel in Baku. It was canceled to create a “spy network” in Azerbaijan.

The US Embassy did not disclose the reason for the postponement of this meeting. The US embassy only told reporters that more than 400 guests from various walks of life, including the government, education, non-profit and private sectors, are expected to attend the meeting, and they are waiting for a change of schedule.

7. How was the accusation of “espionage” received?

The title of “America’s spy” has caused “disappointment” among some American-educated Azerbaijani graduates. .

They say that we work in different places, in government institutions or in the private sector, we serve our country with dignity.

These US-educated graduates declare that they are disappointed not only because they call us spies, but also because the Azerbaijan Alumni Association has not made any statement.

They They believe that there are ministers and other high-ranking officials among the Azerbaijanis who study in America, and such an accusation cannot cause concern. An Azerbaijani educated in America was not surprised to be called a “spy” and said: “Azerbaijan’s government is close to Russia.” They apparently send a message to the United States. On a more global scale, all this is happening in the context of the conflict between the West and Russia in the region.

8. Does the Republic of Azerbaijan need USAID?

USAID in its 2020-2025 program “Azerbaijan: Cooperation Strategy for the Development of the Country” announced that Azerbaijan, like other partner countries, does not need USAID financial assistance.

As Russia continues to exert its power in the region, the importance of the Republic of Azerbaijan to US national security is increasing.

By building trust and focusing on participation, USAID’s reach and influence in the government of Azerbaijan can help strengthen US-Azerbaijan relations.

Anar Mamdoli, activist Azari Human Rights says: As long as the United States Agency for International Development is in Azerbaijan, this can be a sign of political reconciliation and cooperation in the relations between Azerbaijan and the United States. USAID’s activities in Azerbaijan have been quite limited in the last 10 years, I think its withdrawal from this country will not have a financial impact on the Azerbaijani society, but the existence of this institution in Azerbaijan has a political symbolic meaning.

He added: Countries that show a “negative attitude” towards America expelled USAID from their country, and Azerbaijan’s stand against countries that have stopped cooperating with USAID, such as Russia and Belarus, will affect its image in the region. will ruin.

In 2012, Russia and in 2021, Belarus stopped cooperation with the United States Agency for International Development and expelled them from the country.

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