BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb.1
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
Georgia will be the scene of the first virtual visit by the new President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Odile Renaud-Basso to one of the countries where the Bank invests, Trend reports via the EBRD.
The visit will take place on February 1 and 2 in an entirely virtual format over a two-day programme. As travelling and physical meetings continue to be disrupted by the pandemic, the EBRD President will leverage digital platforms, which have profoundly reshaped ways of working and international relations over the past year.
Renaud-Basso will meet President of Georgia Salome Zourabishvili, Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, Minister of Finance and EBRD Governor Ivane Matchavariani, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure Maya Tskitishvili, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Natia Turnava, as well as the Mayor of Tbilisi Kakha Kaladze.
Focusing on the economy, President Renaud-Basso will also speak with Governor of the National Bank of Georgia Koba Gvenetadze, as well as representatives of the business community.
Meetings with donors, who are making an important contribution to Georgia’s development, and with civil society organisations will round off the programme.
The EBRD delegation will also include the EBRD Vice President, Banking, Alain Pilloux, the regional Managing Director, Matteo Patrone, and the EBRD Director for the Caucasus and Head of Georgia, Catarina Bjorlin Hansen.
Addressing urgent needs of the economy and laying the foundations for building back better, the EBRD invested a total of 630 million euros through 16 projects in Georgia in 2020, double the volume seen in the previous year.
The Bank provided emergency liquidity and working capital to support viable private-sector companies. Keeping vital trade flows going, the EBRD reached a new record of 68.2 million euros for trade finance transactions in the country, involving three local partner banks.
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