OECD envoy praises Georgia’s democratic progress

"Georgia is our active partner and role model and we are ready to cooperate with Georgia”, says Douglas Frantz, Deputy Secretary General of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The OECD official is in Tbilisi, Georgia ahead of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly but when he returns to the international agency’s head office in Paris, France, this was one of the key messages he will take back with him.

Today Frantz arrived in Georgia and met senior officials from the Georgian Government including Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili.

The conversation touched on projects being implemented in Georgia that involved the OECD, including the country’s small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) development strategy and customs reform. Kvirikashvili and Frantz also discussed Georgia’s public administration and judiciary reforms, the education reform and environmental protection.

Today Douglas Frantz met senior officials from the Georgian Government in Georgia's capital Tbilisi. Photo by the PM's press office. 

Frantz welcomed the progress Georgia has made in a range of directions, especially regarding economic reforms, improvement of the business environment and open governance.

Important progress has been achieved by Georgia in terms of economy and social industries. This implies Georgia has progressed in view of cooperation with SMEs. This also fosters economic benefits and provides employment opportunities to SMEs and this in turn promotes stability and prosperity in the country,” said Frantz.

Important progress has been achieved in social area as well. Georgia has achieved great progress in fighting corruption, promoting improved tax administration and economic prosperity in the region.

This is a very promising message and we will bring it to our organisation’s head office and inform them that Georgia is our active partner and role model, and that we are ready to cooperate with Georgia,” he added.

Today the two officials talked about the successful partnership between Georgia and the OECD and discussed possibilities of deepening ties to further strengthen Georgia’s economy.