President appoints new “very interesting, experienced" Secretary of National Security Council

President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili has appointed ex-Deputy Minister of Reintegration David Rakviashvili as the new Secretary of the National Security Council, a body discussing defence and security issues under the President. 

Margvelashvili described 48-year-old Rakviashvili as a "very experienced, relevant and interesting candidate for the post” and stressed he had known the new Secretary for 30 years. 

The position became vacant after Margvelashvili appointed Rakviashvili’s predecessor, Irine Imerlishvili, as judge of the Constitutional Court of Georgia. 

Margvelashvili said Rakviashvili was a credible and experienced candidate for the position; in the past he has been involved in the Geneva International Talks, served as Georgia’s Ambassador to the United States and as Deputy Minister of Reintegration [under the United National Movement government]. 

He has great experience how to communicate with our strategic partner the United States, and with Russia as well, and that is very important for his new role,” Margvelashvili said. 

The President said Rakviashvili (L) had significant experience on how to communicate with the US and Russia. Photo by the President's press office. 

When announcing Rakviashvili to the post, the President said Rakviashvili previously worked alongside him during the founding of one of Georgia’s top higher educational institutions, Georgia’s Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA), in which Rakviashvili was very actively involved.

He stood by me in the foundation process and consequently he has experience in the educational direction as well,” Margvelashvili said. 

Speaking about Rakviashvili’s personal features, the President said the new Secretary was very hard working and was a "very experienced alpinist”, which also spoke about the new Secretary’s character. 

After being introduced, Rakiashvili addressed the audience and said serving as the Secretary of the National Security Council was a "great honour and a big responsibility”.

He highlighted the importance of joint cooperation by Georgia's state structures to combat the challenges the country and the region currently faced.