Georgia Invites US to Open Regional Office of Commerce in Georgia
On Tuesday, Georgia’s Economy Minister Dimitry Kumsishvili met with US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. This was the first such meeting to be held between high-ranking US and Georgian officials in the economic sector. The meeting was positioned within the framework of the Georgian Prime Minister and his Delegation’s visit to the United States.
During the meeting, Minister Kumsishvili suggested to Secretary Ross that the United States Department of Commerce should consider opening a US Regional Office of Commerce in Georgia, which would cover South Caucasus and Eurasia region. The regional Commerce Office is currently located in Turkey. A regional Office of Commerce office would likely create jobs, as well as potentially increase US investment in Georgia.
Kumsishvili presented Georgia’s case that the interests of US companies in the region will be will represented by an office in Georgia, and that the number of US companies operating in Georgia continues to increase. An office in Georgia would further facilitate the development of bilateral business and economic ties between Georgian and the United States. In 2018, Georgia was ranked 9th in the world for Ease of Doing Business by the World Bank.
Another topic of discussion in the meeting was the multiple transit corridors being developed through Georgia, and how the US public and private sector can be involved in the creation, maintenance, and growth of corridors such as TRACECA, Lapis Lazuli, and the Persian Gulf – Black Sea corridor, whose paths cross Georgia.
By Samantha Guthrie
Photo: Ministry of Economy of Georgia
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