Hungary and the United States have signed a new agreement to strengthen cooperation in assisting persecuted Christians and other people of faith around the world, with a particular focus on the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa.
The memorandum of understanding was signed in Washington on Wednesday, February 4th by Michael J. Rigas, the U.S. Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources, and Tristan Azbej, Hungary’s State Secretary responsible for the Aid of Persecuted Christians and the Hungary Helps Programme.
According to a statement from the U.S. State Department, the agreement reaffirms both countries’ commitment to promoting religious freedom and supporting communities facing violence and discrimination because of their faith.
The U.S. government said Christians remain the most persecuted religious group globally, with many attacks and atrocities receiving insufficient international attention. Such persecution, it added, undermines shared democratic values and poses broader security risks. Washington called on allies to expand life-saving assistance to affected communities.
Tristan Azbej said the declaration marked a new stage in what both sides described as a “golden age” in Hungarian-American relations. He noted that Hungary, through its Hungary Helps Programme, has supported persecuted people in more than 50 countries over the past eight years.
The agreement opens the way for closer joint projects in crisis regions, aiming to support peaceful coexistence, stabilisation, and the protection of religious communities, with both governments presenting Hungary as a leading international advocate for persecuted Christians.
