The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia together with the State Security Service of the Republic of Abkhazia revealed facts pointing to discrepancies between the submitted data on the project "Improvement of local governance through inclusive development approaches" by the international non-governmental organization Action Against Hunger and the activities implemented within its framework.
The project questionnaire submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia for obtaining of a certificate authorizing its implementation, contained incomplete information, which is a violation of the rules of submission of questionnaires for approval of the project/program. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers this as a concealment of reliable data.
This applies to the part of the project involving representatives of young people from Abkhazia and Georgia in the so-called intercultural dialogue by holding joint training sessions and seminars in Moldova, Austria and Armenia. Such initiatives are of exclusively political nature and are aimed at promoting the goals and objectives declared by the Georgian government in the published official programs relating to the Republic of Abkhazia.
During the meeting of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia with the representatives of the international organizations which work on the territory of the Republic of Abkhazia held on April 8, 2022 in the Media Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia Ervin Blau confirmed the information about the planned interaction of the youth and public representatives from Abkhazia and Georgia at the online and off-line seminars and trainings within the project available at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia.
After studying all available information, being guided by subparagraphs. 4.5 point 4 of the Temporary regulation on the order of realization of programs (projects) of foreign non-governmental and international organizations on the territory of the Republic of Abkhazia (approved by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia from May 04, 2019 № 108), in order to prevent the implementation of the planned initiatives and activities to promote the goals and objectives declared by the Georgian government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to terminate the project on the territory of the Republic of Abkhazia.
A corresponding letter of notification was sent to Erwin Blau, head of the office of the Action Against Hunger in Abkhazia.
We urge all international non-governmental organizations to observe the principle of transparency in the implementation of projects and not to go beyond the humanitarian approach.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia will continue to thwart attempts to implement projects aimed at advancing the Georgian Government's policy towards the Republic of Abkhazia as reflected in Georgian strategic documents and development programs.