US Funds Western Integration Project in Georgia

On 22 October, Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani announced a US funded project to counter anti-Western propaganda and encourage Western integration.

The project, to be run over the upcoming 18 months, has been allocated $500,000 by the US Department of State. Named “Increasing Awareness and Involvement in the Georgian regions about the Country’s Western Integration Process,” the project is intended to raise awareness among Georgians of the benefits of Western integration.

“Today, anti-western propaganda and the threats it triggers is challenging not only for Georgia, but also the entire democratic world,” stated Zalkaliani, “We will respond to the propaganda with successful reforms, economic advancement, strengthening of democratic values and with the demonstration of the benefits we have received on the Euro-Atlantic path. This will be our response and not counter-propaganda.”

Elizabeth Rood of the US Embassy said that the US wishes to demonstrate its support to Georgia through sponsorship of the project, helping Georgia on its journey of integration into the EU and NATO.

The project will help enable five further regional bureaus of the information centre on the NATO and EU to be opened, after which there will be 12 regional bureaus in Georgia. It will also support coverage of NATO and EU-related issues in local media outlets.

Zalkaliani thanked the US for its support, underlining that the implementation of the project is particularly important for Georgia.

By Amy Jones 

Image source: US Embassy in Georgia