Ambassador Degnan, during her regional visits to celebrate the 30th anniversary of US-Georgia diplomatic relations, has welcomed the opportunity to meet with Georgia’s judges to discuss ways the United States can support the development of an efficient, independent, impartial judiciary. She was honored to meet with the Batumi City Court judges today to learn about their courtroom experiences and challenges. Over the past 30 years, Georgian and American judges and legal professionals have worked together to build capacity and modernize Georgia’s judicial system through legal education, training and exchange programs. The United States has a 30-year history of supporting Georgia’s democratic institutions, having sent more than 6000 people, including hundreds of judges, to the United States on exchange programs. This people-to-people network forms the bedrock of our bilateral partnership. We stand ready to continue supporting further improvements in the judiciary.