Category Archives: Armenia
U.S. Allocates $1.1 Million to Armenia to Respond to COVID-19 Pandemic
On March 27, the U.S. Department of State announced an assistance package to the Republic of Armenia to combat the novel Coronavirus COVID-19. According to the State Department, Armenia will receive $1.1 million in health assistance to help prepare laboratory systems, activate case-finding and event-based surveillance, support technical experts for response and preparedness, bolster risk communication, and more. The United States has invested nearly $106 million in health assistance and $1.57 billion total for Armenia over the past 20 years.
Armenia declared a 30-day ‘State of Emergency’ on Monday, March 16 that is slated to last until April 14 as the virus spreads throughout the region.
Comparatively, the two other South Caucus nations, Azerbaijan and Georgia, will also receive U.S. federal assistance at similar levels. Azerbaijan is slated to receive $1.7 million in health assistance to help prepare laboratory systems, activate case-finding and event-based surveillance, support technical experts for response and preparedness, bolster risk communication, and more. Over the past 20 years, the United States has invested nearly $41 million in health alone in Azerbaijan, and more than $890 million in total assistance, the State Department noted.
Georgia is slated to receive $1.1 million in health funding will help prepare laboratory systems, activate case-finding and event-based surveillance, support technical experts for response and preparedness, bolster risk communication, and more. The United States has provided nearly $139 million in health assistance and more than $3.6 billion in total U.S. assistance over the past 20 years.
Artsakh Votes 2020: Presidential, Parliamentary Election Results
On March 31st, the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) held free and democratic elections for president and parliament. With a turnout of 72.7%, this year’s election was the first time that the young republic held presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously.
The Artsakh Foreign Ministry issued a statement, which states in part: “We are convinced that the strengthening of democratic traditions and their spread throughout the South Caucasus will become an important contribution to ensuring peace, stability and predictability in the region, as well as create the necessary conditions for the final settlement of the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict by exclusively peaceful means. The consistent efforts of the authorities and people of Artsakh should be supported by the international community, since the strengthening of democracy, human rights and the rule of law is universal and therefore is the collective responsibility of the entire world community.”
The Armenian Foreign Ministry released a statement on the successful election stating, “The right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination is the foundation for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This reality has been fully reflected in the principles and elements of settlement presented by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, which envisage the determination of the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh through a legally binding expression of will.”
During the election process, Azerbaijan military forces again violated the cease-fire agreement and fired upon civilian Armenian villages.
Below are the presidential results reported by the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Artsakh:
- Arayik Harutyunyan – 49.26% (Free Motherland-UCA Alliance)
- Masis Mayilyan – 26.4% (New Artsakh Alliance)
- Vitali Balasanyan – 14.7% (Justice Party of Artsakh)
- Davit Ishkhanyan – 2.56% (Armenian Revolutionary Federation)
- Ashot Ghoulyan – 2.3% (Democratic Party of Artsakh)
- Hayk Khanumyan – 1.3% (National Renaissance Party)
- Vahan Badasyan – 1 percent (United Armenia Party)
- Davit Babayan – 0.8% (Conservative Party of Artsakh)
- Ruslan Israyelyan – 0.5% (Independence Generation Party)
- Kristin Balayan – 0.3% (Independent candidate)
- Ashot Dadayan – 0.3% (Independent candidate)
- Bella Lalayan – 0.2% (Independent candidate)
- Melsik Poghosyan – 0.2% (Independent candidate)
- Sergey Amiryan – 0.2% (Independent candidate)
Since no candidate received over 50% of the vote, the top two candidates, Arayik Harutyunyan and Masis Mayilyan, proceed to a runoff election which will take place on Tuesday, April 14, 2020.
In Artsakh’s parliamentary elections, twelve political parties participated and five secured participation in parliament by passing the 5% threshold for parties and 7% for blocs, according to a report issued by Artsakh Central Election Commission Chairwoman Srbuhi Arzumanyan. The elected parliamentary parties are Free Motherland-UCA Alliance (40.4%), United Homeland Party (23.63%), Justice Party of Artsakh (7.9%), Armenian Revolutionary Federation (6.4%), and Democratic Party of Artsakh (5.81%).
Happy Thanksgiving 2019
On behalf of all of us at FLArmenians.com, we wish you and your family a happy and safe Thanksgiving. If you’re in a televised viewing area, we encourage you to watch and donate to the Armenia Fund’s 22nd Annual International Thanksgiving Telethon! And if you’re not in a viewing area, don’t worry, it will be LIVE STREAMED on the internet.
The 2019 Armenia Fund Telethon carries the theme “To my lovely Armenia: life-giving water and sun for communities.”
With your generous support this year, you will make it possible to bring drinking water to villages that remain deprived of this most crucial resource. Your donation will also make thousands of acres of land available for agriculture, by bringing irrigation water to hard-working farmers. As importantly, your donation will help Armenia and Artsakh become energy-independent, by expanding solar-power projects throughout both republics.
Armenia Fund USA, based in Los Angeles, CA will carry out these projects through its implementing partner in Armenia, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund — with strict adherence to our abiding values of transparency, accountability, and absolute commitment to project quality and delivery.
Please consider making a donation today at www.armeniafund.org/donate.
Thankfully yours,
Taniel Koushakjian and Arsine Kaloustian
Having become a Thanksgiving Day tradition for Armenians around the world, the Telethon will Livestream Online from Los Angeles and air coast to coast and internationally.
Armenia Fund will host the 22nd International Thanksgiving Day Telethon on November 28, 2019 from 10am to 8pm PST.
Florida Armenians 