Georgia announces new Ambassador to US, after elections

Georgia will soon have a new ambassador to the United States (US).

Today Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili announced after the October 8 Parliamentary Election, current State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration David Bakradze will become Georgia’s new Ambassador to the US.

Bakradze, 41, will replace Archil Gegeshidze in the diplomat role, Kvirikashvili said a short time ago.

The decision has already been made, we have also consulted with the President of Georgia about the issue,” Kvirikashvili said. 

He said Bakradze had "all the qualities” needed for a foreign diplomat post and he believed Bakradze would be very successful in the "very important” role. 

Mr. Bakradze has excellent working experience as an ambassador among NATO member states, he has huge experience regarding Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration and his personal characteristics will also allow him to establishing important communications,” the PM said. 

Kvirikashvili thanked Gegeshidze, who was appointed as Ambassador to the US in March 2013, for serving Georgia through the ambassadorial role, and he said Gegeshidze had worked hard to deepen Georgia-US relations. 

Read Bakradze's blog about Georgia's European pathway in a blog he wrote for Agenda.ge in May 2015 from the Eastern Partnership Summit in Riga - "No time for disappointment, we look forward to Tbilisi Summit".

Learn more about Bakradze below: 

• 1996: Worked in the press service of the President of Georgia
• 1997-2002: Worked in the National Security Council of Georgia

-Department on Information and Analysis,

-Department on Human Rights,

-Department on Law Enforcement Institutions;

• 2002: He joined the diplomatic service with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia
• 2002-2005: He was Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of Georgia to the UN and Other International Organisations in Geneva at the Embassy of Georgia to the Swiss Confederation
• 2005-2008: He was head of the First European Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia
• 2008-2012: He was Senior Counsellor of the Embassy of Georgia to the Republic of Finland
• April 2012 – November 2014: He served as Georgia’s Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic and the Republic of Serbia.
• November 2014: He was appointed State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.