US, Georgia sign memorandum on strengthening cooperation on 5G
Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava signing the memorandum of understanding on January 14. Photo: Georgian Economy Ministry/Facebook
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Georgia and the United States have agreed to strengthen cooperation on fifth generation wireless communications networks (5G).
The memorandum of understanding signed earlier today reads that ‘5G will enable a vast array of new applications, including the provision of critical services to the public, which will benefit our citizens and our economies’.
Increased amounts of data on 5G networks will further interconnect the economies of the world, including the United States and Georgia, and facilitate cross-border services and commerce”, the memorandum says.
It also notes that ‘protecting these next generation communications networks from disruption or manipulation and ensuring the privacy and individual liberties of the citizens of the United States, Georgia, and other countries is of vital importance’.
The document further emphasises the importance of ‘developing a common approach to 5G network security and ensuring a secure, resilient, and trustworthy 5G ecosystem’ as well as ‘the need to develop, deploy, and commercialise 5G networks based on the foundation of free and fair competition, transparency, and the rule of law.
The United States and Georgia emphasise the importance of encouraging the participation of reliable and trustworthy network hardware and software suppliers in 5G markets, taking into account risk profile assessments, and promoting frameworks that effectively protect 5G networks from unauthorized access or interference”, the memorandum says.
It then indicates that the US and Georgia ‘further recognise that 5G suppliers should provide products and services that enable innovation and promote efficiency’. These products and services ‘should also enable fair competition and encourage downstream development by the maximum number of market participants’.
U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Keith Krach has tweeted:
Congratulations to Georgia on joining the Clean Network alliance of democracies. Securing the country’s 5G infrastructure sends a signal to trusted companies and investors that Georgia is safe and open for business. I wish the people of Georgia a happy and healthy New Year. https://t.co/IfnU7xPVBw
— Under Secretary Keith Krach (@State_E) January 14, 2021
‘To facilitate the creation of a secure supply chain for future telecommunications infrastructure’, the US and Georgia ‘seek to work in concert with each other and with other interested governments on innovation to promote a diverse and vibrant supply chain for secure and trusted next generation wireless network technologies’.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani said ‘today’s signature is yet another manifestation of the multidimensional strategic partnership’ between Georgia and the US.
The signature of the 5G memorandum and its successful implementation serves this very goal and will increase the US companies’ interest in Georgia. Moreover, the launch of new and up-to-date technologies will contribute to Georgia’s sustainable economic development”, FM Zalkaliani said.
By signing the memorandum Georgia has joined the US Clean Network program ‘safeguarding the nation’s assets including citizens’ privacy and companies’ most sensitive information from aggressive intrusions by malign actors’.
FM Zalkaliani said this ‘will ensure the well-functioning and sustainable ecosystem of the next-generation networks in Georgia and the development of digital services and digital economy, in general, in line with international standards’.
The Georgian National Communications Commission has approved rules and obligations for both internet service provider companies and the owners of websites to protect children from harmful content on the internet.
The World Bank will allocate €35.7 million to support Georgia’s digital transformation and finance the project ‘Log-in Georgia’ which aims to increase high speed internet access across the country.
A total of 631 socially vulnerable high-school students in Georgia now have access to the internet with the help of 1,784 supporters that donated 279,768 GEL through the charity initiative ‘Charte.’
The Georgian National Communications Commission is taking action to introduce 5G internet in Georgia by 2020, announces the commission. The commission announced that it had already carried out "large-scale work" to instal 5G internet infrastructure and soon will announce a tender for telecommunications companies.
By joining US Clean Network Lines, Georgia is strengthening its position to become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU), said U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Keith Krach.
United States Acting Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker will travel to Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on June 6-13 ‘to advance bilateral and regional priorities and to express US support for democratic and economic development across the region’.