Foreign Minister of breakaway Abkhazia Sergey Shamba told visiting EU representative to the South Caucasus Peter Semneby in Sokhumi on January 18 that, “despite disagreements in political issues,” the Abkhaz side considers EU-funded aid programs “useful,” Apsnipress news agency reported.

“The European Commission is financing several projects in Abkhazia. But this does not mean that we reject our key interests and independence,” Shamba said.

In December the European Commission approved a EUR 2 million humanitarian aid decision to support the most vulnerable people affected by the unresolved conflict between Abkhazia and Georgia. The beneficiaries include internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Georgia as well as returnees and vulnerable groups in Abkhazia.

Since 2002, the European Commission has allocated a total of EUR 11 million in humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable populations affected by the unresolved conflict in Georgia.