US aid agency considering rather long request list from Georgia

Tbilisi: The Georgian government is seeking between $1 billion (Dh3.6 billion) to $2 billion in aid to repair and develop infrastructure after its conflict this month with Russia, the head of the US government aid agency said on Friday.

"They have a proposal for what they call a Phoenix Fund, which is somewhere between $1 billion and $2 billion," said Henrietta Fore, the administrator of USAID.

"That's really reconstruction, it's for infrastructure. It's not just because of hostilities, it's for development," Fore told reporters on a plane returning from a visit to Georgia to assess the government's needs after the conflict.

"Georgia has given us rather a long list of things they would like to see - communications is certainly part of it, hydro-electric dams," she said.

She said the request also covered assistance for housing for those forced from their homes by the conflict. "There is a good amount that needs to be done."

"It does not all need to be done by the United States. It can be done by international organisations as well as other bilateral organisations."

Fore said the private sector could also play a role.

Rebuilding military

The Georgian request did not include training funds, she said, adding: "This is usually a very large part of a country's request."

General John Craddock, who accompanied Fore to Tbilisi said on Thursday the US was likely to help Georgia rebuild its military after the Russians made short work of it.

The World Bank said on Thursday it would send a mission to Georgia to assess economic damage caused by the conflict with Russia and to discuss reconstruction plans.