USAID Presents New Program for the 2020 Georgian Elections

On 18 October, a presentation was held at Sheraton Metekhi Palace in Tbilisi organized by USAID. The program, titled ‘Countdown to 2020: Empowered Citizens for Responsive Politics’, is a new agenda incorporating nine different partners CSOs (Civil Society Organizations), including three international and six Georgian NGOs. The main focus of the program is to support more responsive and citizen-centered political practices. The program is the US government's original electoral assistance initiative for Georgia’s upcoming 2020 and 2021 electoral cycles.  

The NGOs involved in the program will carry out different events to support better civic engagement and increased oversight over political establishments. The budget of this program encompasses approximately $14 million, and these funds will be allocated to these CSOs to efficiently fulfill the approaching election cycles.

Georgia will be seeing challenges in the impending election cycles since it is transitioning to a new proportional system of elections. Moreover, this shift emphasizes the need and the role of watchdog organizations in Georgia to overview its political processes.       

GT had the honor to sit down with the Head of USAID Mission, Mr. Peter Wiebler, to discuss the details of the program and Mr. Wiebler’s personal outlook on the USAID project.  

Read the full interview in Monday's GT Business issue