PM speaks at UN Sustainable Development Summit in New York

The Prime Minister of Georgia today delivered a speech at a summit dedicated to sustainable development within the 70th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States (US).

Irakli Garibashvili’s speech at the UN Sustainable Development Summit 2015 was one of his most important engagements within his nine-day trip to the US, which began on September 25.

In his address the Georgian official touched on the importance of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that mainly addressed the global issue of extreme poverty and the significance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offered by the UN.

The PM emphasised Georgia had already achieved serious advancement towards the SDGs and the country was ready to continue this process.

In general there are 17 goals specified within the SDGs that cover all aspects and problems facing society, ranging from poverty and health-related issues ending to gender equality problems. 

Georgia’s Prime Minister stressed that his country had been particularly successful in fulfilling four of the 17 goals.

The goals Georgia had addressed were: 

• ensuring all citizens lived a healthy life;
•  ensuring all citizens had access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy; 
•  building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, fostering innovation and strengthening the means of implementation and revitalisation the global partnership for sustainable development.

In his speech the PM also talked about Georgia’s unprecedented action towards eradicating Hepatitis C.

Patients are provided with the necessary tests for pre-diagnostic and treatment monitoring purposes and the latest drugs for the treatment of Hepatitis C, " Garibashvili said. 

When it came to the importance of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy, Garibashvili said over the last decade Georgia’s electricity sector had undergone major changes with the view of creating an open, liberal and commercially viable energy sector that was resistant to market fluctuations. 

Due to our intensive reforms, our power sector has been a net electricity exporter since 2007,” he said.

Georgia, with its unique location, creates many opportunities for energy transit. The Association Agreement signed with the European Union paves the way for Georgia to become a fully-fledged member of the Energy Community and we will finalise these negotiations by September, 2016,”  he added. 

While speaking about Georgia’s efforts to address the industrialisation and innovation goal, Garibashvili underscored that the current Government of Georgia was focused on supporting all small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). 

We have implemented projects aimed at creating new jobs in rural areas, improving efficiency of land use and land consolidation, and increasing the  export potential of agricultural products,” Garibashvili said. 

In his final note the PM spoke about the importance of access to justice and effective, accountable and inclusive institutions. He stressed transparency, access to public information and integrity of public institutions were the most important principles that facilitated effective work of the Government. 

In Georgia we are developing consolidated legislation that will bring together the fragmented regulations by introducing new standards of freedom of information based on the principle of openness,” he said. 

The PM emphasized the country’s goals also concerned the people living in Georgia’s occupied regions Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia). 

We know how urgent it is to address their needs,” Garibashvili said, noting that sustainable development was the pathway to the future that Georgia wanted  for all its people. 

Garibashvili and the Georgian delegation are due to return home on October 3.