Executive Director of the MDF Took Part in the U.S.-GEORGIA STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP COMMISSION Working Group Meeting
The regular meeting of the Economic, Energy, and Trade Working Group of the US-Georgia Strategic Partnership Commission was held in the US State Department, Washington D.C. From the Georgian side the working group was co-chaired by Mr. Davit Zalkaliani – the First Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and Mr. Mikheil Janelidze - the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia. The working group meeting was also attended by Mr. Elguja Khokrishvili – Executive Director of the Municipal Development Fund of Georgia.
From the US side the meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Robert Manogue – Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State.
The parties discussed current areas and future prospects of US-Georgia economic cooperation. Considerable part of the meeting was devoted to broadening U.-Georgia high-level dialogue on trade and investment. The above-mentioned dialogue aims at strengthening trade and investment-related ties between the two countries, including the possibility of a US-Georgia Free Trade Agreement. The Georgian side came up with the detailed action concept for facilitation of the mentioned dialogue at the intergovernmental as well as business community levels.
The parties also considered a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) between Georgia and EU and the progress reached by Georgia to this effect.
The working group discussed bilateral cooperation issues like agriculture, intellectualroperty rights, energy security and energy supply diversification, infrastructural development, prospects of transforming Georgia into an east-west transport hub and strengthening Georgia’s economic position in the Region.
