USAID & Public Defender of Georgia signs an agreement

An agreement between governments was signed on June 28 between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Office of the Public Defender.

The aim of the new partnership is to promote human rights in Georgia and to strengthen the activities of the Public Defender’s Office, especially in the regions.

Speaking at the event, Peter Wibler, USAID Mission Director for Georgia, gave a brief overview of the Government Agreement, cooperation, and the importance of Georgia’s democratic development.

The Ambassador of the United States of America spoke about the ongoing progress in the field of human rights in Georgia and underlined the activities of the Office of the Public Defender, the great efforts that the staff of the Office make every day to establish equality and tolerance in the country; he also thanked them for their professionalism and dedication and said that this direct grant provided by the USAID project is a sign of great trust and support for the Public Defender’s Office.

Moreover, Public Defender of Georgia Nino Lomjaria thanked the US Government and the American people for their vital assistance to the economic development of independent Georgia, the implementation of democratic reforms, the strengthening of state institutions and the development of the private sector for decades.

“Today, we especially need such support because the government, state or public institutions, each of us must work tirelessly during these six months to get the status of an EU candidate. These six months is a crucial period for our future. For the remainder of my term, we will work with the entire apparatus to use this trust and support to support and monitor human rights, democracy and human rights reforms. However, I would like to point out here that the achievement of the results provided for in this Agreement does not depend solely on our efforts. I think it is necessary to be ready from other state agencies, and in such a historical period, a lot depends on coordination and joint work, “- said the Public Defender.

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Giorgi Burjanadze, Deputy Public Defender, discussed the details of the Agreement between USAID and the Office of the Public Defender of Georgia. According to the Agreement, with the support of USAID, the Office of the Public Defender will work to:

• Strengthen internal capacity to conduct more effective human rights oversight in Georgia;

• Strengthen internal management processes and institutional capacity;

• Improve strategic communication with the audience.

“The project will help us make our apparatus more effective in responding to the challenges we face. Protection of human rights is a constant process that needs constant updating,” said Giorgi Burjanadze.