Speeches Shim
As Georgian students across the country returned to school this September both online and in person, USAID accelerated work under its new Basic Education Program: a four-year initiative to promote student-centered education in primary grades across the country and help young people gain the knowledge, skills, and critical thinking needed to grow into successful professionals and engaged, responsible citizens.
The Development Finance Corporation (DFC), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and JSC MFO Crystal (Crystal) jointly announced a loan guarantee program to support Georgia’s private sector to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The program, facilitated by USAID, will allow Crystal to issue $15,000,000 in U.S. and Swedish-guaranteed loans to more than 5,000 Georgian micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
Transparency. Accountability. Responsiveness. Civic Participation.
These are all key pillars of USAID’s newly-announced 2020-2025 development strategy for Georgia. The strategy emphasizes support for citizen-centered governance that is transparent and accountable at all levels, from national institutions to local government in the smallest, most remote communities.
You can take someone out of Georgia, but you can’t take Georgia out of them.
Doug Ball is a retired diplomat from Portland, Oregon. He served as USAID/Georgia Mission Director from 2015 to 2018.
During their time in Georgia, Doug and his wife Janet fell in love with the culture, including the wine.
“I can’t tell you how much we miss Georgia,” Doug said from his home in Portland.
“Diplomat” Magazine
What are USAID’s main development priorities in Georgia?
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