By Alexander Pracht
Armenia received approximately $109 million in international aid from its global partners following the September 2023 Azerbaijani attack on Nagorno-Karabakh that forced all but a few ethnic Armenians to leave the region, according to the government’s 2023 performance report. Most of this promised aid has yet to reach Yerevan.
To put that into perspective, the neighboring country of Georgia received around $4.5 billion worth of aid within two years after the 2008 Russian invasion.
What happened between Russia and Georgia in 2008?
Georgia faced significant internal strife in the early 1990s as two of its regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, sought independence following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. These regions, mostly populated by ethnic minorities with historical ties to Russia, declared independence from Tbilisi, leading to violent conflicts between Georgian forces and separatist movements. The wars ended in 1994 with ceasefires brokered by Russia, but tensions remained high. The ceasefires left Abkhazia and South Ossetia as de facto independent states, though not internationally recognized, and kept Russian troops stationed in both regions.
The situation escalated in August 2008 when clashes between Georgian forces and South Ossetian separatists led to a full-scale war. Georgia, ruled by a pro-Western government led by Mikheil Saakashvili, launched an offensive to reclaim South Ossetia, but Russia intervened, sending additional troops into both South Ossetia and Abkhazia and attacking several cities in Georgia proper with aerial bombs, missiles, and artillery.
The conflict lasted five days, resulting in a decisive victory for Russia and the Moscow-backed separatists. Following the war, Moscow recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, a move condemned by Georgia and most of the international community.
Who provided aid for Armenia and Georgia?
Yerevan mainly received humanitarian aid from various organizations, such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the European Commission, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the World Bank. Additionally, the governments of China, Latvia, and Lithuania provided assistance directly.
By way of contrast, the International Monetary Fund allocated $1.17 billion to Georgia following the events of 2008, with half of this amount as grants and the other half as loans aimed at helping Georgia cope with the aftermath of the conflict with Russia and the global economic crisis.
The U.S. assistance to Georgia in 2008-2009 exceeded $1 billion, including $250 million in direct budgetary support and an additional $100 million from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, according to the U.S. Congressional Research Service.
The international aid package for Georgia totaled $4.5 billion in 2008-2010, with $2.4 billion coming from various financial institutions. Over a longer period from 1992 to 2020, U.S. support to Georgia amounted to nearly the same figure, surpassing $4.3 billion.
Does the Armenian government expect more aid?
Armenia’s Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Khachatryan has advised against making critical judgments on this matter. “What we have received so far from our international partners is a good contribution to help Armenia provide housing for the refugees,” he said.
Khachatryan also believes that more aid can be expected from the international community as Armenia continues supporting Karabakh refugees in various ways.
Addressing concerns that a significant portion of the $109 million in aid to Armenia remains unfulfilled, Khachatryan stated that the government has no doubts that these promises would be kept.
