PM: strengthening Georgian diaspora, taking care of compatriots living abroad Govt’s “important objective”

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Thursday told a forum dedicated to Diaspora Day that strengthening the Georgian diaspora and taking care of compatriots living abroad represented “one of the most important objectives” of the country’s Government.

Kobakhidze noted this obligation was reflected in the Constitution of Georgia in 2017, adding the country was “one of the rare exceptions”, where the Government was obliged to constantly take care of compatriots living abroad and to maintain their connection with the homeland.

We welcome the diaspora representatives, our compatriots living abroad. Each of you is especially precious to the Georgian state. Each of you is a kind of ambassador of Georgia, who carries the name of Georgia in different parts of the world, in different countries. As it is known, many Georgians make significant contributions to the public life of different countries, in culture, economy, science, sports and other fields”, he said.

To strengthen the Georgian diaspora, the state implements several important projects. The grant programmes of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are recognised not only by the Georgian diaspora, but also by our international partners, which have become an exemplary, successful example of the relationship between the diaspora and the state”, he told the audience.

The PM once again extended his gratitude to the country’s national football team, for the joy over their advancement to the knockout round, as the best third-placed team, after defeating Portugal 2-0 in their final group stage match on Wednesday at the ongoing European Championship in Germany.

He also noted the members of the national squad, most of whom were compatriots living abroad, showed the “best example of how one can represent their country in another state”.

Kobakhidze also stressed the Georgian Government's “important objective” was to use the qualifications, knowledge and experience of the compatriots living abroad, including young people, who had accumulated them for the benefit of the country. A number of programmes were implemented to use this “invaluable human resource, connections and knowledge for the further progress and development of our common motherland”, he added.

Georgia is a signatory country of the Dublin Declaration [on Human Resources for Health] and joins the efforts of the United Nations and the international community to develop a unified approach and vision for global diaspora policy, to create new mechanisms for the strengthening and involvement of the diaspora through international cooperation, to provide conditions conducive to the international standard, and at the same time, to direct the social resources of the diaspora to the development of the country”, he said.

The PM also noted the Government would submit a package of amendments to the law on Compatriots Residing Abroad and Diaspora Organisations to the country’s Parliament at the next session, aiming to create “all the conditions for our diaspora to participate in the development process of the country, considering the unprecedented challenges and opportunities in the modern changing environment”.

The official also pointed out that the draft law being prepared in cooperation with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development and the research team of Maastricht University, one of the world's leading academic institutes in the direction of diaspora issues research, “takes into account the best international practice”.

Kobakhidze added the Government's “concern” for fellow citizens residing overseas would inevitably grow in the wake of the country's economic development, and expressed his desire for each representative of the Georgian diaspora to return to their homeland.

The event also featured Ilia Darchiashvili, the country’s Foreign Minister, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili and Beka Odisharia, the Chair of Diaspora and Caucasus Affairs Committee of the legislative body, as well as Metropolitan Andria Gvazava, members of executive and legislative authorities, representatives of diplomatic corps and clergy.