Annual Investment Meeting in Dubai:
PM highlights Georgia’s attractive investment climate

Georgia is an attractive place for investors and the country supports those who finance projects or launch enterprises in the Eurasian nation.

This was the message delivered by Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili to members of the Arab business community on day one of the Annual Investment Meeting in Dubai, UAE today.

Kvirikashvili delivered a speech at the plenary session Global Leaders Debate about what made Georgia attractive, benefits of the country’s positive investment climate and reasons why Arab businessmen should invest in Georgia.

The main theme of the sixth Annual Investment Meeting was ‘The New World of FDI, Key Features and Best Practices’. The three day event (April 11-13, 2016) is being held at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

At Dubai's #AIM2016: We are small, but strategically located country with huge #economic potential pic.twitter.com/pjHat5gXyE

— Giorgi Kvirikashvili (@KvirikashviliGi) April 11, 2016

In his speech Kvirikashvili accented Georgia’s strategic geographic location, attractive investment environment, transit potential and ease of doing business.

Kvirikashvili talked about the free, easy and transparent business environment of Georgia. He noted the European Union (EU)-Georgia Association Agreement signed in June 2014 was one of the most important achievements of Georgia-EU relations, and looking ahead this would only improve.

Georgia's PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili at the Annual Investment Forum in Dubai. Photo by the PM's press office.

He also stressed the benefit of investing in Georgia for countries that do not enjoy a free trade deal with the EU.

The volume of Foreign Direct Investments has been increasing in Georgia in recent years. In 2014 Georgia enjoyed 80 percent more FDIs compared to the previous year, reaching $1.75 billion USD. The main reason that caused FDIs to increase in Georgia was our business-oriented policy and constant reforms that support the business environment in the country,” Kvirkashvili said at the session.

The Georgian high official promoted the Government’s new four-point recovery plan to boost the local economy. This included new tax benefits, infrastructure plans, governance reforms and an overhaul of the education system.

He also delivered information about the Investors Council established in Georgia to support investment inflow into the country.

We have recently established the Investors Council which gathers all large investors and international financial institutions, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Asian Development Bank and representatives from large business societies,” said Kvirikashvili.

After delivering his speech, Kvirikashvili met his Arabian counterpart Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Two high officials talked about the trade and economic relations between Georgia and the UAE, and agreed they were ready to further deepen ties.

Met @HHShkMohd.We have huge potential in #trade& #economic rltns&are ready to promote cooperation btwn our countries pic.twitter.com/iuzudrdt6D

— Giorgi Kvirikashvili (@KvirikashviliGi) April 11, 2016

The UAE was one of the largest investors in Georgia. Last year the country invested $700 million USD in different sectors of Georgia’s economy. In 2015 trade volume between the two nations exceeded $240 million USD – this was a six percent increase on 2014.