Japan’s $4.2m grant will modernise Tbilisi’s public transport

The Japanese government will allocate a non-project grant aid worth 500 million Yen (about $4.2 million USD) to the Georgian Government to allow it to purchase electric buses to modernise the capital city’s public transport service.

The funds (worth about 9 million GEL) will be used by Tbilisi City Hall to purchase a number of eco-friendly, hybrid buses as well as two small electronic cars for the Ministry to promote and raise awareness of ‘green’ transport.

Documents confirming the deal will be signed tomorrow, March 10, by the Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary Ambassador of Japan to Georgia Toshio Kaitani and Georgia’s Finance Minister Nodar Khaduri.

The Japanese side said the grant would contribute to improving Georgia’s ecological environment.

A spokesperson from the media team of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia said the Ministry planned to buy "new generation hybrid buses” that would be operated on routes around the central Tbilisi area. In addition, two electric cars would be purchased to raise awareness among the Georgian population and promote the use of ‘green’ transport.

To date, Japan has already implemented a number of different projects in Georgia in the scope of Official Development Assistant (ODA).

From 1997-2014, Japan allocated 4.2 billion Yen ($34 million USD) to Georgia for developing several areas of the country, including environment protection, healthcare and agriculture. Funds were directed towards projects in Tbilisi and in several municipalities in Georgia’s regions.