Georgian Economy Minister, newly appointed UK Ambassador discuss cooperation

Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili on Friday met with Gareth Edward Ward, the newly appointed Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the country, to discuss bilateral cooperation within the Wardrop Strategic Dialogue - a high-level, annual strategic platform addressing a range of political, defence and security ties, trade and economic as well as people-to-people relations.

The meeting also reviewed trade and economic ties, with the officials highlighting cooperation in investment, bilateral trade and tourism, as well as the importance of deepening partnership within the free trade agreement signed between the two countries in 2019.

Davitashvili said the UK represented “one of the largest international investors” in Georgia and covered a number of important sectors of the country's economy, adding trade missions and business forums would be held to bring the business circles of the two countries closer together.

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The Minister briefed Ward about planned major infrastructure projects, including the Anaklia deep sea port project, earmarked to be built in Georgia’s Black Sea town to ensure increased logistical capability between Asia and Europe, as well as the Black Sea submarine electricity cable project - a new transmission route to deliver green energy from Azerbaijan to Europe - and construction of a new international airport near the country’s capital city of Tbilisi.

The parties also highlighted the importance of starting direct flights between the two countries for deepening cooperation in tourism and airline sectors, with the Georgian side noting the ongoing talks with “leading” British airlines were “in the final stage”.