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Elnur Enveroglu

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Information about the activities of US financial institutions and donor organizations has been repeatedly published in the media. Media and civil societies have been their constant target since these activities are mostly aimed at penetrating the internal politics of governments.

Although USAID is recognized as an independent international development agency of the United States, recently its name is implicated in some hidden causes of tensions within some countries.

We are talking about the latest coup attempt in Georgia. Thus, the Georgian government accused the United States of attempting a coup d'état. According to the information provided, USAID is accused of arming the rioters.

It should be noted that the scandal that occurred in Georgia is not the first case - USAID's name has always been associated with open interference in political processes in the countries where it operates, attempts at coups, and similar illegal activities. USAID plays a special role in the US strategy of openly interfering in the internal affairs of other countries and overthrowing self-serving authorities. The organization was created as a sub-branch of the US Central Intelligence Agency and is currently trying to actively interfere in the internal affairs of individual countries under the guise of aid, creating unstable, fertile conditions for revolution and chaos.

Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, while making a statement about the organization's illegal activities, said that USAID spends all the financial resources of the United States to incite riots in foreign countries. Because before the statement, a briefing of the Georgian State Security Service (SSS) was held and it was stated that representatives of the Serbian NGO CANVAS (Center for Applied Nonviolent Actions and Strategies) visited Georgia at the invitation of the East-West Management Institute within the USAID program.

The State Security Service of Georgia claims that they trained a large group of civil activists who were supposed to play a decisive role in the process of overthrowing the government. In addition, the State Security Service of Georgia has published part of the materials of the exercises held at the IBIS hotel in Tbilisi on September 26-29, proving the above-mentioned accusations. At the same time, the SSS claims that they are trying to hide the real reason for their presence in the country in order to avoid criminal responsibility.

In a nutshell, the SSS claims that these persons are connected with the revolutionary events that took place in Georgia in 2003 and were connected with similar processes in Serbia, Ukraine and other countries in different years. They represent the ruling ring of the CANVAS organization, while Sinisha Sikman and Slobodan Jinovic are former members of Otpor, an organization similar to Georgia's Kmara.

However, this is not yet complete information about USAID's clandestine operations.

In 2023-2025, USAID allocated nearly 10 billion dollars for the construction of "civil society" in various countries. Local organizations and movements connected to the US government, led by the organization itself, seek to intervene in political processes, create conflict in society, and manipulate processes rather than contributing to the development of civil societies.

Regarding the events in Georgia, another source states that between September 26 and 29, 2023, preparations for the process of overthrowing the government by force were held at the IBIS hotel in Tbilisi. These people were taught how to act against target groups, i.e. the authorities, the church, the State Security Service and other agencies, as well as how to create pickets and artificial traffic jams, how to set up tents in front of the entrance to administrative buildings, how to create tension in state structures. The audience was prepared for the process of expected arrests and trained in such processes as methods of resistance, funding of protestors, storming of the parliament building, closing of radio stations and seizure of power, overthrow of the legally elected government, while a comparative analysis of a number of revolutionary processes that took place in Serbia was exemplified.

In general, Azerbaijan has experienced the problems faced by Georgia for a long time, but as a strong state, it did not allow the realization of the plans of organizations such as USAID. Furthermore, USAID, NED, Friedrich Naumann, Marshall, IREX and other similar institutions tried to form their own network to use as a means of pressure against the political authorities in Azerbaijan.

Our analysis of the events in Georgia suggests that USAID has created a wide network in the country. Even the organization once transferred funds to its branches and movements working in Azerbaijan through Georgia.

USAID has been operating in Azerbaijan since 1991 and has repeatedly stood behind attempts at conflict and tension in the country.

In 2014, USAID's announcement of a fantastic grant of $2.4 million for the "development of independent media" in Azerbaijan caused a great sensation. However, in the contest conducted by the organization, in a short time and in a non-transparent form, only the media it deemed necessary were able to win.

In addition, in the same year, Alex Grigoriev, the former head of the US National Democracy Institute (NDI) representative office in Baku, withdrew nearly $2 million from his bank account and distributed it to some NGOs and specific individuals. Institutions such as USAID, NED, which try to penetrate political and public opinion with the help of more civil societies, such as NIDA, Dalga, etc. in Azerbaijan, funded organizations for various purposes. It is no secret that many times NDI employees took part in illegal actions held in Baku and tried to influence public consciousness in the direction of coups.

All this was an attempt by institutions like USAID, NDI to form a self-serving media and NGO network through opaque funding.

In the following periods, USAID implemented many projects with the same goal. Currently, it is implementing various projects, especially in the regions. Although the Azerbaijan has repeatedly pointed out that there is no need for it to stay in the country and it is not considered appropriate, USAID does not stop its activities.

It is no coincidence that in recent years USAID and other foreign organizations have increased their efforts to strengthen the positions of the anti-war movement in Azerbaijan - NoWar activists. If, on the one hand, Armenia makes territorial claims regarding Garabagh, on the other hand, USAID makes efforts to maintain the status quo. In various ways, the organization tried to exert serious influence to prevent the liberation of Azerbaijani territories.

However, despite all efforts, the organization could not achieve its secret intentions. Thanks to the sober policy of Azerbaijan, all the steps taken in the mentioned direction by USAID and its affiliated organizations were prevented. Having rich underground and surface resources, Azerbaijan does not need foreign grants and financial support. At the expense of its financial resources, Azerbaijan is rapidly continuing construction works in the Garabagh Economic Region and East Zangazur. Azerbaijan is already creating fertile conditions for more than one million internally displaced persons to return and live in the lands freed from occupation. This is an indicator of Azerbaijan's perseverance and well-established policy. USAID and other donor organizations are needed more in African countries and countries that are not financially self-sufficient. Azerbaijan does not need the support of USAID or any similar organization.

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Elnur Enveroglu is AzerNews’ deputy editor-in-chief, follow him on @ElnurMammadli1

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