France aware of “big potential” for economic cooperation with Georgia

France is aware of the big potential of deep economic relations with Georgia, France’s Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said yesterday while meeting his Georgian counterpart Giorgi Kvirikashvili. 

The idea to create a Georgia branch of the Development Agency of France (AFD) was discussed in the context of developing Georgian-French economic ties, stated Georgia’s Foreign Ministry. 

AFD is a financial institution and the main agency that implements France’s official development assistance to developing countries and overseas territories. 

Georgia’s Foreign Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili met his French counterpart in Paris. Photo by Georgia’s Foreign Ministry’s webpage. 

With Fabius, Georgia’s Foreign Minister touched upon a wide range of topics including Georgia’s visa liberation goals and Euro-Atlantic aspiration, Russia’s provocative actions and the ongoing issue of creeping occupation of Georgian soil.

We have provided a major message - that Georgia has already fulfilled all its homework over visa liberation with European Union countries (EU). [And] The current migration problem in Europe should not hinder Georgia’s pace to gaining visa free travel with the EU,” Kvirikashvili said, adding the French side praised Georgia’s reform efforts as it strived to achieve its visa free travel goals. 

The Georgian Minister also stressed that France appreciated Georgia’s role in international peacekeeping missions. 

Kvirikashvili’s meeting yesterday was one of his final high level meetings during a two-day business trip to France, which ended last night.

On the first day of the trip the Georgian delegation, led by Kviriashvili, participated in a business forum organised by MEDEF, the French Business Confederation’s international organisation and the Georgian National Investment Agency.

Within the event the Georgian National Investment Agency and MEDEF signed a Memorandum of Understanding that envisaged regular bilateral exchange of information and participation in each other’s business meetings and events.