Brock Bierman on USAID Support for Georgia’s Economic & Political Development

Exclusive Interview

Brock Bierman, Assistant Administrator for USAID’s Bureau for Europe and Eurasia, came to Georgia to speak at the Tbilisi International Conference (TIC) hosted by the McCain Institute and the Economic Policy Research Center. During a panel on disinformation, he discussed some of the methods the US Government uses to support Georgia and other countries grappling with disinformation and other forms of external pressure.

GEORGIA TODAY spoke with Mr. Bierman to find out more.

“In addition to delivering a message of support from the American people, I also came to listen,” he told us. “I heard from our government partners, USAID project beneficiaries, activists, and citizens who are working every day to build a more prosperous, democratic, and inclusive Georgia. I learned more about the challenges Georgia is facing, both economic and political, and we discussed the methods that USAID can use to further support Georgia’s economic and political development.

You represent USAID on the regional level. How does Georgia fit into the US govt’s regional policy? What is USAID trying to accomplish in the country?

The US and Georgia have a long history of friendship. Georgia is strategically important as a bridge between Europe and Asia. The country’s geographic position puts it at the center of major regional energy projects and infrastructure initiatives. However, the real motivation behind US support for Georgia is the values that our countries share. Georgia is a developing democracy with a dynamic economy and a society that supports integration into Western political structures. The US stands with Georgia because it proves that a free society can flourish even in a region where authoritarianism has been the norm.

As for what USAID is trying to achieve in Georgia, our goal is clear. We want to work ourselves out of a job. That means our assistance is designed to support Georgia to reach a level of economic and democratic development where foreign assistance is no longer needed. In the economic sphere, that means supporting market-oriented policy reform, helping stamp out corruption, and providing technical assistance and financing to emerging entrepreneurs. On the political side, it means strengthening accountable democratic institutions, supporting civil society organizations, and empowering citizens to participate actively and effectively in political processes.

Georgia has come a long way. Significant challenges remain, but I’m confident the day that Georgian society can design and implement its own development agenda is not far off.

You participated in a panel discussion at the TIC and spoke about USAID’s Countering Malign Kremlin Influence development framework. Tell us a bit about the framework. What does it mean in the Georgian context?

USAID announced the Countering Malign Kremlin Influence framework, what we commonly refer to as CMKI, in July. The malign practices the Kremlin uses to undermine the democratic and economic development and stability of other countries are fundamentally at odds with the interests of the people of Europe. Across the region, the Kremlin works to tip the scales in its own favor rather than engage its neighbors on mutually favorable terms. Why? Because at their core, authoritarian states like Russia are inherently flawed, unreliable development partners, offering a predatory model of development, treating assistance as a tool to transform nations into dependents, drained of their own choices and resources.

Our approach is true assistance that offers partner nations the dignity associated with building their self-reliance from the country down to the individual. Just this week at the 2019 Annual Concordia Summit, Administrator Mark Green laid out USAID’s work in contrast from authoritarian models in the simplest of terms, saying, “What we try to offer is a chance for every man, woman and child around the world to have a taste of what we call the American dream, but is really the universal dream. And that's the chance to get a good paying job, to better oneself, to provide for one's family. That has to be, ultimately, what our assistance stands for.”

The CMKI Development Framework responds to the challenge of Kremlin malign influence by strengthening economic and democratic self-reliance in partner countries across Europe and Eurasia, including in Georgia. This approach involves supporting Georgia’s private sector to grow in a self-sustaining manner that supports individuals, families and communities to develop greater resilience. A society where people have opportunities to pursue their dreams and provide for their families has strong defenses against disinformation, social division, and authoritarianism.

USAID assistance helps Georgia to diversify its economy, particularly in the energy, export and tourism sectors. If Georgian businesses can access markets around the world, the Kremlin has less leverage to apply economic pressure, one of the most powerful tools currently in its playbook.

CMKI also guides our programs in the media sector. In Georgia, we support local media partners and watchdogs working to counter disinformation and support fact-based media. That includes training local journalists and helping build the capacity of independent media outlets. Ensuring that citizens have access to media sources they can trust is crucial to Georgia’s democracy and its resilience to external threats.

I can’t stress enough that this framework is intended to counter aggressive and authoritarian actions by the Kremlin. It is not directed against the Russian people. In fact, the Russian people are victims of the same system that threatens stability, democracy, and prosperity elsewhere in Europe and Eurasia.

From USAID’s view, how serious are the ongoing Russian travel restrictions to Georgia’s economy? Does USAID provide any support to Georgia’s tourism sector?

I have been visiting Georgia for almost 20 years, having forged ties in my earliest trips that remain strong today, and it is wonderful to see all the positive developments that have taken place in this beautiful country over that time. The travel embargo the Kremlin slapped on Georgia, banning direct flights between the two countries, creates a short-term disruption in Georgia’s economy. Russian tourists, who are an important source of income for tourism operators, are always welcome in Georgia. Neither of the country’s citizens benefit from this unwarranted and unnecessary policy.

At USAID, we’ve helped Georgia weather the short-term shock while supporting it to lay the foundations for long-term growth in the sector. First, we worked with the Georgian National Tourism Agency (GNTA) to develop a rapid response to tourism disruption. We supported the GNTA to develop a marketing strategy to attract tourists from the European Union. Bringing in more visitors from places like France and Germany can help Georgian tourism operators today. The real benefits could be long-term, however, if Georgia continues to develop into a popular destination for European travelers.

Also on a long-term level, USAID supports tourism development as a key economic growth value chain. The goal of our programs is to build a more developed tourism market, one that gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to build more profitable, self-sustaining businesses.

We’re confident that Georgia’s tourism sector will rebound from this year’s disruptions. We’re proud to support the sector to develop and diversify, so the Kremlin won’t be able to use tourism as a lever of influence in the future. And while greater diversification is a good thing, it’s important to remember that Russian tourists are still welcome in Georgia.

Next year’s parliamentary elections in Georgia will be the first under a fully proportional system. One of USAID’s focuses in Georgia is support for elections and political processes. Please tell us more about it.

When we talk about Georgia building the capacity to design and implement its own development agenda, democratic development is a big part of that. For more than two decades, USAID has supported this effort through programs to strengthen political party platforms, ensure free and fair elections, and empower civil society watchdogs to apply oversight over democratic institutions and processes.

This year, USAID launched a new four-year, $14 million program to empower Georgia’s citizens to make the most of recent electoral reforms, prepare for the 2020 and 2021 election cycles, and address the remaining gaps in the country’s political and electoral systems. This new program will provide Georgian voters the tools to demand more accountability from their elected representatives.

Since we initiated our first programs to support elections nearly two decades ago, Georgia has built strong electoral institutions that serve as a model for the region. Over the next four years, we will work with grassroots civic organizations to empower citizens to better communicate with political parties, effectively advocate their interests, and hold parties accountable. Ultimately, our elections programming aims to strengthen Georgian democracy by supporting more opportunities for public participation.

By Katie Ruth Davies

Photo: Brock Bierman meeting with women entrepreneurs from across Georgia. USAID/Georgia