USAID Administrator Samantha Power Explores Enhanced Cooperation with Armenia

In a meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan had a discussion with Samantha Power, Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), exploring avenues to expand their collaborative efforts.

The meeting delved into the overall situation in the South Caucasus region, addressing the existing humanitarian challenges that demand collective attention. The President's office reported that both leaders emphasized the importance of jointly addressing these challenges and highlighted the need for further steps to be taken.

Reference was made to the recent visit of the USAID Administrator to the region, highlighting the commitment of both parties to finding meaningful solutions. President Khachaturyan reiterated Armenia's principled position, emphasizing the pursuit of stable and lasting peace while asserting that the peace process has no alternative.

The leaders exchanged views on the implementation of agreements between the Armenian government and USAID. Power expressed the readiness of USAID to expand the scope of cooperation, indicating a shared commitment to deepening purposeful interaction.

Reflecting on the longstanding collaboration between Armenia and USAID over nearly three decades, the leaders lauded their close cooperation. Both sides affirmed the continuity of joint measures aimed at further strengthening their partnership.

Power, in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), shared her discussions with President Khachaturyan on the sidelines of the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF24). She emphasized USAID's strong support for Armenia's democracy and its people.

The context of their collaboration was also highlighted, particularly in reference to the Artsakh mass exodus, where Samantha Power's visit to the border village of Kornidzor played a crucial role. During her trip to Armenia on September 26, 2023, Power pledged $11.5 million to address the urgent humanitarian crisis arising from the forced displacement of nearly 120,000 Armenians from Artsakh.