ANCA urges Pompeo to reprogram $25m in help Armenia fight Covid-19

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) on Friday, April 4 called on U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo to immediately reprogram $25 million from the Congressional appropriated aid package for Armenia as part of an expanded U.S. assistance program to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic with urgently needed medical equipment and supplies, technical assistance, and support for at-risk families.

In a letter sent to the State Department making the $25 million request, ANCA Chairman Raffi Hamparian shared thanks for the Administration’s initial $1.1 million emergency allocation.

Hamparian expressed the Armenian American community’s "appreciation for all those at the Department of State and partner agencies who are striving selflessly to represent the United States, protect American citizens, support our allies, and help end this pandemic."

Hamparian noted that the European Union recently announced that it is reprogramming over 30 million Euros in existing funding to help Armenia bolster its COVID-19 efforts, and also making additional funds available for Armenia to acquire medical devices and equipment, support small and medium-sized businesses, and help ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches low-income families.

The EU revealed days earlier that €18 million new funds and €33 million redirected funds will be spent on medical devices and equipment, training for medical and laboratory staff, support to SMEs and business community, as well as social and humanitarian assistance to those affected by the coronavirus outbreak.