The State Department is reviving its focus on religious freedom, rolling out a $4.8 million funding opportunity and formalizing a related commitment with Hungary — a country that’s long positioned itself as an advocate for persecuted Christians.
“Hungary has emerged as a leader in Europe, and in standing up for our shared Western heritage,” said U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Michael Rigas at the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two countries on Wednesday. “The agreement formalizes our partnership on religious freedom and affirms our determination to stand against religious persecution wherever it occurs.”
The move is an echo of President Donald Trump’s first term, which led the U.S. Agency of International Development to launch the Genocide Recovery and Persecution Response initiative in 2018. That effort primarily focused on northern Iraq and assisted persecuted Christian and Yazidi communities before USAID was shuttered.
About the author
Elissa Miolene
Elissa Miolene reports on USAID and the U.S. government at Devex. She previously covered education at The San Jose Mercury News, and has written for outlets like The Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Washingtonian magazine, among others. Before shifting to journalism, Elissa led communications for humanitarian agencies in the United States, East Africa, and South Asia.
