Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman at the Armenian Embassy's Independence Day Commemoration

Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman: Good evening, everyone. I want to begin by thanking Ambassador [Lilit] Makunts for her kind invitation to participate in today's ceremony, and for her service and partnership on behalf of the Armenian people.

Thank you, Deputy Chief of Mission [Arthur] Grigoryan, for organizing this event, and for your role in maintaining such a strong relationship between the Government of Armenia and USAID.

And thank you to everyone in the room for taking the time to be here as we celebrate the 33rd anniversary of Armenia's independence.

America is proud to stand with our Armenian friends on this day of celebration. Throughout the country's history, the Armenian people have demonstrated remarkable resilience and strength, overcoming significant obstacles in order to live in peace, in their own representative democracy, with the economic opportunities they need to provide for their families and build the futures they want for themselves.

Today, Armenia is confidently moving forward to fully realize these goals, and the United States is committed to helping the Armenian people achieve them.

Since the Armenian people stood up to demand change in 2018, Armenia has made impressive progress, advancing democratic reforms, restoring opportunities previously denied by corruption, strengthening government capacity to be more responsive to citizens' needs, and leading the region in economic growth.

USAID has partnered with Armenia since it achieved independence, and we remain honored to support the Armenian people in this moment of opportunity. That's not just talk. Since 2018, USAID has more than doubled our annual support to Armenia.

Among other forms of assistance, USAID has placed a special emphasis on Armenia by designating it as a focus country of our Democracy Delivers initiative, which surges support to countries taking action to deepen their democracy. We've supported the Armenian people's push for democratic reforms; bolstered independent media outlets to promote transparent and accountable governance; and partnered with the government to combat corruption, slash bureaucratic burdens, and modernize its technology to be more responsive to its people's needs.

We're also helping the Armenian government to improve the security of their digital systems, an important priority at a time when hacking and cyberattacks by state and non-state actors can threaten the integrity of sensitive information and collapse critical digital infrastructure.

During her recent visit to Yerevan, Administrator Power announced $5 million towards a public-private partnership with Amazon Web Services to ensure the Armenian government has secure and reliable digital systems that will allow it to implement its ambitious digital transformation agenda.

At the same time, USAID is also partnering with the Armenian people to spur broad-based economic growth. We're connecting Armenian businesses with new markets for key exports. Our support for export diversification has benefitted more than 45 companies.

We're supporting students with educational resources in science, technology, and engineering, so that they can pursue careers in high-demand fields. For example, USAID has teamed up with U.S. corporations to invest in Armenia's high-tech sector, and we've partnered with National Instruments and Synopsys to create an Advanced Research Center in Yerevan, dedicated to training up the next generation of Armenian engineers, and equipping them with tools they need to succeed.

And we're helping the Armenian government drive investment opportunities in priority sectors like agriculture, tourism, and technology.

These investments are beneficial for both of our countries, and they're paying off. In just the past four years, U.S.-Armenia trade has more than tripled, growing from $96 million in 2020, to $321 million in 2023, its highest level ever. And we're looking to push these numbers even higher.

It was nearly one year ago when the Government of Azerbaijan attacked and seized control of Nagorno-Karabakh, causing more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians to flee their homes. Since 2023, USAID has provided $18 million to support this population, including more than $5 million for the immediate humanitarian response and more than $12 million to support the Armenian government's efforts to provide services to displaced residents of Nagorno-Karabakh who choose to stay in Armenia.

I applaud the Armenian government's efforts to conclude a peace agreement with Azerbaijan, which could put an end to decades of conflict and promote a more peaceful and prosperous region for future generations.

As it looks to the future, Armenia continues to face pressure from Russia, which seeks to limit Armenia's choices and keep it locked into Soviet era economic and energy relationships. We believe Armenia and its people should be able to choose their own path, and we appreciate Armenia's resolve to move towards greater freedom and prosperity on its own terms.

We in the U.S. government, and not least USAID's Administrator Samantha Power, are doing everything we can to support this essential progress, from participating in a historic trilateral meeting with the EU in support of Armenia in April, to elevating our bilateral relationship via a formal Strategic Partnership in June. Our relationship is entering a new era of broader and deeper cooperation, and the United States remains committed to supporting Armenia, so that it can progress along its chosen path.

Independence Day marks an important milestone in Armenian history, but we know that independence is an ongoing journey, one that the Armenian people continue to embark upon every day, as they press toward peace and freedom even in the face of forces that seek to limit opportunity through coercion and control.

This Independence Day, we reflect on the meaning of historic resilience, while standing in support of a brighter future: one marked by a thriving democracy, peace, respect for Armenian sovereignty and territorial integrity, a robust economy, and a chance for every Armenian to build a prosperous and fulfilling life.

Thank you.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.