Georgia Marks 25th Anniversary of Cooperation with UN
It has been 25 years since Georgia and the United Nations (UN) started their cooperation in various fields. In connection to the anniversary, a special reception was held on October 24, where the Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, addressed the representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Georgia and international and non-governmental organizations.
The PM said that over these 25 years, Georgia managed to transform from a UN humanitarian aid recipient into a regional leader that now serves as Chair of the Open Government Partnership.
He congratulated the UN Resident Coordinator in Georgia, Niels Scott, and spoke about UN-Georgia cooperation.
Kvirikashvili underlined that Georgia cooperates with 13 UN agencies in the most important directions, such as democratic governance, human rights, rule of law, economic and social development, healthcare, education, employment and environmental protection.
“We have gained huge experience and we are very well aware of the importance of cooperation with the UN structures. I would like to reaffirm that Georgia firmly supports the UN's engagement in this country as well as throughout the region in terms of fortification of the stability and achieving sustainable development,” he said.
Kvirikashvili also commented on the first plenary session of the Sustainable Development Goal Council that was held on October 24. According to him, this platform is a clear indication of the close cooperation in terms of implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
“Georgia has already taken steps to reinforce the effective governance and ensure the participation of all relevant stakeholders in the decision making process. That's precisely why Georgia remains committed to the UN and its work. I would like to once again thank Niels Scott and his colleagues for their tireless efforts in contributing to Georgia's development,” he added.
Our success story is in many ways connected to fruitful&active involvement of @UN in #Georgia. #UNDay @ungeorgia https://t.co/DsbqB8jFz0 pic.twitter.com/gnAaP77VlX
— Giorgi Kvirikashvili (@KvirikashviliGi) October 24, 2017
The UN Resident Coordinator in Georgia stated that the country has achieved great progress, adding Georgia has not only undergone a remarkable transformation, but also become a highly active and much-esteemed member of the UN.
“Georgia continues to make a substantial contribution to UN's works on security, peace, development and human rights. This dynamic of international engagement reflects the strong will of Georgian government and people to support the work of the UN for stronger, more sustainable economic growth, clean environment and water, equal opportunities and gender equality, better education and healthcare and a decent life to all," Niels Scott noted.
Georgia joined the UN on July 31, 1992.
By Thea Morrison