ABU DHABI, UAE – A UAE economic delegation led by Minister of State Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh visited Tbilisi, Georgia.
During the visit Al Sayegh met several high-level officials, including Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Levan Davitashvili, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Khvtisiashvili.
Both sides discussed bilateral relations between the UAE and Georgia and ways to develop cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, investment, clean energy, climate change, sustainability, tourism, education, culture, sports, and diplomacy.
Al Sayegh said that UAE-Georgian economic relations have witnessed remarkable development in recent years, as total non-oil trade between 2020 and 2021 grew by 52 percent to reach US$223 million.
Al Sayegh also commended the conclusion of an agreement in June 2022 to exempt Georgian citizens from obtaining a visa when entering the UAE, noting that the agreement will lead to an increase in investment and tourism between the two countries.
Both sides also discussed regional issues and efforts to address challenges facing the international community.
During the visit, the two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the UAE-Georgia Joint Business Council, which was signed by Abdullah Al Mazrui, Chairman of the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry; Giorgi Pertaia, President of the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and Tornike Zirakishvili, Deputy Director of Enterprise Georgia.
The MoU aims to bolster coordination and cooperation between the private sectors of both the countries, encourage economic exchange visits and support bilateral, commercial and investment partnerships.
The UAE delegation included officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), Abu Dhabi Investment Office, and Abu Dhabi Ports, as well as other entities and business professionals.