The below is attributable to Spokesperson Jessica Jennings:
On September 26, Administrator Power visited towns close to the Lachin Corridor to meet with humanitarian workers and ethnic Armenians who have fled Nagorno-Karabakh. The Administrator announced new humanitarian assistance from the United States that will support displaced people in Armenia as well as those in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Administrator began her trip with travelling to Goris, Armenia to hear directly from people who have been impacted by the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. She met with Syunik Governor Robert Ghukasyan, who accompanied her to the Goris Reception Center for displaced people, where they spoke with volunteers and to families who recently arrived from Nagorno-Karabakh. Administrator Power also expressed condolences for those killed and wounded in Monday’s gas station explosion inside Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Administrator then met with humanitarian partners to understand the status of the humanitarian response and Armenian-led efforts to address longer-term needs of those displaced by the crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh. The group discussed the urgent need for humanitarian organizations to be granted unhindered access to Nagorno-Karabakh, including the Lachin Corridor.
Administrator Power then traveled to Kornidzor, where she observed the significant buildup of traffic along the road from the Lachin Corridor into Armenia. So far, 30,000 people have crossed the border into Armenia since Azerbaijan’s attack last week. The Administrator spoke to aid workers and families who had left their homes and were in need of assistance. She then spoke with members of the media and announced a new United States commitment of more than $11.5 million in urgently needed humanitarian assistance to help communities in the South Caucasus region, including those affected by the ongoing crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh. Today’s announcement was in addition to the more than $24 million in humanitarian and development assistance to displaced residents of Nagorno-Karabakh since 2020.