Biden Promises $690 Million for Democracy Development Programs Worldwide

U.S. President Joe Biden pledged during his speech at the opening of the “Summit for Democracy” that Washington will allocate $690 million for democracy development programs around the world, according to Associated Press.

According to the agency, the funding will be directed towards programs that “support free and independent media, fight corruption, promote human rights, and bolster technologies that enhance democracy, as well as those programs that support free and fair elections.”

The 2023 summit, which has invited leaders from over 100 countries, is hosted by the United States, and this time the Netherlands, Costa Rica, Zambia, and South Korea will also act as hosting entities. The first day will be conducted in an online format, while the second will take place in a hybrid format, with meetings between authorities and representatives of civil society in each hosting country.

It is noteworthy that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated in the official opening plenary session of the Second Summit for Democracy today. In his speech, Pashinyan expressed gratitude to the U.S. for stopping Azerbaijan's further aggression against the sovereign territory of Armenia.