President Margvelashvili discusses global challenges at Baku high-level forum

"Twenty percent of our territory is occupied by the Russian Federation and up to 15 percent of our population are refugees in their own country just because they are Georgians.”

These poignant words were spoken by Georgia’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili as he addressed current and former leaders from more than 70 countries at the 4th Baku Global Forum in Azerbaijan yesterday. 

The two-day forum Towards a Multipolar World kicked off in Baku on March 10, with an opening address from Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev.

The event, with important international topics on the agenda, brought together seven incumbent presidents, 27 former presidents, one vice president, 23 former prime ministers, many incumbent and former officials, heads of authoritative international organisations, famous politicians and experts.

Margvelashvili spoke about the current regional challenges, Georgia’s geopolitical role and ongoing projects in the region at the forum’s first panel discussion ‘Global Challenges of the Modern World’. 

"I come from a country that has suffered different political confrontations and the occupation,” the Georgian President said.

"Georgia has suffered threats and occupation from its neighbour - the Russian Federation – where nd 20 percent of our territory is occupied and 15 percent of our population are refugees in their own country just because they are Georgians. This is the environment we have lived through since the destruction of the Soviet Union. We suffered this in the 90s, we suffered this again in 21st Century in 2008 through Russian occupation.”

Margvelashvili said despite the tense regional political situation, Georgia still managed to be a significant contributor among non-NATO countries to international global security support missions. 

"Georgia continues its efforts along with the international community to maintain global peace and stability,” the President said.

He stressed Georgia was a gateway between Europe and Asia and offered vast opportunities to enhance international cooperation. 

"Georgia provides access to the Black Sea for eight landlocked countries out of the 14 on the Eurasian continent. Georgian ports are one of the essential destination points for the Europe-Caucasus-Asia corridor. Batumi, Poti and Kulevi Ports offer extensive services to our foreign and local partners. The Anaklia Deep Sea Port construction project will increase the capacity of free trade flows between Europe and Asia in the near future; and respectively, it will contribute to the further development of transit and logistics potential,” Margvelashvili said.

"We are still arguing that it is better for our neighbours to build bridges and to build partnerships than to build confrontations and the territories which are occupied,” he added.

"I am confident that intensive partnership and joint efforts will allow us to succeed to create a better and more secure future for generations to come.”

While in Baku Margvelashvili held a bilateral meeting with President Aliyev, where the two leaders stressed "the successful development of relations” between their countries in different areas.