President Margvelashvili Pays Visit to UAE

In order to strengthen relations between Georgia and the United Arab Emirates, Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili and his delegation are paying an official visit to the UAE.

Margvelashvili has already held a meeting with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He underlined that Georgia is ready to further advance close partnership and friendly cooperation with the UAE, adding that both countries have great potential for doing so.

The possibility of initiating a free trade agreement between Georgia and the United Arab Emirates was also discussed. Prince bin Zayed Al Nahyan emphasized Georgia’s role as a bridge connecting the East and West. Conversation also touched upon the existing security environment and Georgia's contribution to international peacekeeping missions.

Margvelashvili introduced the Crown Prince to the recent developments in Georgia’s breakaway and Russian-backed regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. He added that peaceful resolution of the conflict and the due assessment from the international community is very important in this process.

At the meeting with the Sheikh, @MohamedBinZayed noted that Georgia appreciates friendship and close partnership with the #UAE , expressing readiness for further deepening of cooperation between two countries. pic.twitter.com/FdGnjdXN1B

— President Of Georgia (@MargvelashviliG) April 10, 2018

At the meeting with the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Margvelashvili underscored the great importance of strengthening relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and its member states, especially in trade-economic direction.

He added that Georgian authorities highly appreciate the significant investments of the United Arab Emirates in Georgia. It was mentioned that the UAE first invested in Georgia in 2003; while in the period from 2006 to 2017, the volume of investments reached $841.08 million.

The parties also discussed cooperation in tourism and agriculture. As noted, Georgia actively works to develop various resort zones and infrastructure in order to further advance wellness tourism and attract investors.
According to the Head of the Administration of President Margvelashvili, Giorgi Abashishvili, the Emirates is investing in Georgia and showing increasing interest in the country’s investment potential.

By Thea Morrison