Humanitarian Aid to Artsakh Armenians: Who Stepped Up?

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On March 29, more than 9,000 Artsakh Armenians gathered in Yerevan’s Freedom Square to raise concerns about ongoing issues and uncertainty surrounding their future. Among their key demands was the continuation of housing allowances for displaced families.

Two days later, on March 31, they protested outside the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, urging the government to maintain both the amount and scope of rent assistance while criticizing the inefficiency of housing and employment programs. The government has yet to respond.

Their struggle for stability comes amid a broader challenge: securing sufficient humanitarian aid. As the United States, once a major contributor to global relief efforts, scales back its foreign aid, we examine how much international assistance has reached Nagorno-Karabakh refugees and what measures the Armenian government has taken to support them.

Following the ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023, over 100,000 Armenians fled to Armenia. While the preventability of this catastrophe is debatable, one fact is clear: when the crisis unfolded, numerous countries and organizations stepped forward to provide assistance. The European Union, the United States, the United Nations, USAID, and smaller countries like Denmark and Sweden all pledged aid commitments of varying amounts.

USAID had been a leading contributor to relief efforts for Artsakh Armenian refugees, pledging over $10 million to address their urgent needs in the months after their forced displacement. However, on March 10, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced an 83% reduction in USAID programs, slashing humanitarian and development assistance worldwide, including aid for major global crises. 

International Contributions  

The U.S. and USAID 

On September 25, during the forced exodus of Artsakh Armenians to Armenia, USAID Administrator Samantha Power visited Armenia and pledged $11.5 million in humanitarian assistance ($1 million through USAID and $10.5 million through the State Department). The assistance aimed to address healthcare and emergency needs by helping local communities coordinate aid deliveries, establish safe spaces for displaced persons, provide cash and voucher assistance, and distribute essential supplies—including hygiene kits, blankets and clothing—to those displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh or elsewhere in the region.

In November 2023, USAID announced more than $4.1 million in additional humanitarian assistance for Artsakh Armenian refugees, aiming to provide food assistance, humanitarian protection, and emergency shelter to nearly 74,000 people.

Later, on April 5, 2024, USAID announced plans to allocate approximately $8.5 million for housing needs and psychosocial support for forcibly displaced persons and refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh.

Due to USAID websites being currently inaccessible, the status of these pledged funds’ disbursement and budget allocation plans before the U.S. government slashed the agency’s budget remains unclear.

The European Union

In February 2025, Vasilis Maragos, the EU Ambassador to Armenia, announced that the EU had allocated around €100 million to meet the immediate needs and protect the rights of displaced Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians.

When the initial crisis unfolded in September 2023, the EU pledged €5 million in humanitarian aid, prioritizing cash assistance, shelter, food security and livelihood support.

On October 5, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a doubling of EU humanitarian aid and immediate support to Armenia, bringing the total to €10.45 million.

In 2024, the EU provided €15 million in budget support to the Armenian government to help address refugee needs, with an additional €25 million planned for 2025.

The EU Delegation to Armenia announced on January 23, 2025, the launch of three new projects totaling €8.8 million to support refugees. Local and international civil society organizations will implement these projects to improve livelihoods, social services and human rights.

The United Nations 

The UN, through its various programs, has been involved in refugee relief efforts since the influx of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) provided food and emergency aid to people arriving at the Armenian border from Artsakh. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) sent trucks containing warm blankets, mattresses, folding beds, hygiene items, and other essential supplies for the incoming Armenian refugees. UNICEF supplied medical necessities, including bandages, syringes, and medications to Armenia’s National Center for the Provision of Medicines and Medical Supplies. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) distributed hygiene items to refugee women and girls across Armenia.

In October 2023, UNICEF made an appeal for $12.6 million to provide critical humanitarian support, including essential supplies, cash assistance, services, and technical aid for refugee children, adolescents, and their families affected by the crisis.

On October 7, the Armenia Emergency Refugee Response Plan (RRP) was launched to cover relief efforts for six months, until the end of March 2024.

The RRP, developed with the Government of Armenia, was designed to assist 101,000 refugees and support over 95,000 host community members. The initiative brought together 60 organizations—41 national NGOs, 11 UN agencies, six international NGOs, and two refugee-led organizations—with a funding request of $97 million. By the end of March 2024, the RRP had secured 52% of its funding, helping guide humanitarian efforts and complement government-led responses.

The RRP’s emergency phase concluded in March 2024, during which partners focused on five key sectors: Protection (including Child Protection and Gender-Based Violence), Education, Health, Basic Needs (Shelter/Non-Food Items and Food Security), and Resilience. In May 2024, the response transitioned into mid- and long-term support, with inter-agency partners continuing to support government efforts through sustainable solutions and integrated assistance.

Individual Country Contributions

France announced €7 million in financial assistance in September 2023 to support refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh through NGOs, UN agencies, and the Armenian Red Cross Society. The aid covers social welfare, medical, and financial needs. Three months later, in December 2023, France pledged an additional €15 million in emergency aid for Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh refugees.

Germany announced in November 2023 that it would provide €9.3 million in humanitarian aid to Armenia to assist forcibly displaced people from Nagorno-Karabakh. In September 2024, UNICEF and the German Embassy in Yerevan announced a new €2.9 million contribution from the German Federal Foreign Office as part of UNICEF’s 2023 humanitarian action appeal. This funding will help UNICEF expand support for refugee children and their families in Armenia through September 2026.

The United Kingdom announced in September 2023 that it was providing £1 million to the ICRC to support relief efforts. 

Sweden announced on September 28 that its International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) would provide $1.4 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for urgent needs, including medical transport, food, and cash grants for essential items. On October 12, Sweden’s Foreign Ministry pledged an additional $1.4 million to the UNHCR to assist with refugee reception in Armenia. The Swedish government also allocated $230,000 to Action Against Hunger’s activities in Armenia.

Japan funded the UNDP’s Infrastructure and Social Integration Project in February 2024, aiming to enhance social cohesion and improve access to essential services for displaced persons and host communities. This two-year initiative focuses on safe housing, health services, sustainable energy solutions, and improved land and water management. The total budget for this project is $2.6 million.

Switzerland contributed $555,000 to the WFP in November 2023 to provide emergency food aid and psychosocial support to Artsakh Armenian refugees. This assistance addressed immediate food needs while helping refugees integrate socially and economically in Armenia. 

Canada, Italy, Denmark, Hungary, and many other countries also contributed to humanitarian relief efforts for Artsakh Armenians. 

While many countries and organizations directed their funding through international organizations operating in Armenia and local NGOs, some assistance went directly to the Armenian government. EVN Report contacted the Armenian government to determine the amount of international aid it had received specifically for Artsakh Armenians. The Finance Ministry stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is compiling a comprehensive summary. EVN Report is still awaiting their response.

Armenian State Programs

The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs informed EVN Report that as of January 1, 2025, the Armenian government had allocated approximately 89.7 billion AMD ($228 million) from the state budget for those forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh.

In 2023, the government spent 234.7 million AMD ($599,000) on essential household items, food supplies, and medicine. They allocated an additional 15.9 million AMD ($40,000) to establish a Humanitarian Station in Kornidzor village to address the needs of the incoming refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh. Another 232.3 million AMD ($592,555) for temporary accommodation services for Nagorno-Karabakh refugees arriving in Armenia.

A social assistance program, aimed at crisis response and emergency mitigation for specific social groups, received more than 28.7 billion AMD ($73.2 million).

The government provided 114,009 Artsakh Armenian refugees with one-time payments of 100,000 AMD ($255) each. Throughout 2023, they spent 28.8 billion AMD ($73.4 million) on monthly housing allowances and essential living expenses.

In the first nine months of 2024, the government allocated 44.9 billion AMD (114.5 million) through targeted national budget programs to support forcibly displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Armenian government has implemented various housing, employment, education, and entrepreneurial support programs for Artsakh Armenians. Of the total funding, 37.9 billion AMD ($96.7 million) went toward social assistance for housing and essential needs, while 3.3 billion AMD ($8.4 million) was allocated for housing affordability and 2.1 billion AMD ($5.3 million) for essential living expenses. An additional 11.8 billion AMD ($30.1 million) supported pensions, and 40.2 billion AMD ($102.5 million) provided one-time cash assistance and monthly living expense support. The government also allocated 129.6 million AMD ($330,705) in scholarships for students from Nagorno-Karabakh pursuing professional training or vocational education in Armenia. As the integration process continues, these targeted support programs are gradually transitioning into Armenia’s standard social assistance framework.

The State Support Program for Housing Provision for Displaced Families from Nagorno-Karabakh helps families purchase or rent homes and apartments, and assists with existing mortgage loan repayments.

The Professional Skills and Employment for Forcibly Displaced Persons Program helps displaced Artsakh Armenians acquire job skills, gain work experience, and find employment opportunities.

A tiered support program provides monthly assistance of 30,000 ($76.5), 40,000 ($102), and 50,000 AMD ($127) to help displaced individuals from Nagorno-Karabakh cover living expenses and basic needs, which is ongoing with some modifications 

From January to March 2025, the monthly support amount for the same beneficiary groups will be 50,000 AMD. A 10,000 AMD support component, currently part of the program, was discontinued. This was intended to cover rent for the refugees. 

Starting in April 2025, social support will be provided to specific groups of forcibly displaced persons who meet the following criteria:

• Reside in Armenia and are registered with the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Migration and Citizenship Service;
• Have a disability or experience severe functional limitations;
• Are 63 years old or older;
• Receive compensation for the loss of a breadwinner;
• Are under 18 years old.

For these individuals, the monthly support amounts will be:

• 40,000 AMD from April through June 2025;
• 30,000 AMD from July through December 2025.

The Manufacturing Industry Employment Support Program incentivizes Armenian companies to hire displaced individuals by covering employee income tax for 12 months. The program focuses on people without work experience or those needing retraining, providing on-the-job training to build a stable workforce. 

A program for teachers displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh offers vacant teaching positions in general education schools across Armenia. Another program assists displaced healthcare workers with certification and employment requirements so they can continue practicing in Armenia. 

However, despite these support initiatives, many Artsakh Armenians still face challenges in finding permanent, quality housing and stable employment. 

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