The FINANCIAL — The European Commission and the Emergency Management Service of Georgia will sign an administrative arrangement in Tbilisi enhancing ties in civil protection and disaster risk management.
The document outlines key areas of cooperation on disaster prevention, preparedness and response on issues such as forest fires, floods, and search and rescue missions.
To attend the signing of the agreement, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides, is visiting Tbilisi. During his visit, he will also meet with the Prime Minister, Mamuka Bakhtaze, the Chairperson of the Parliament of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhizde, and other officials.
“The signature of this arrangement is an important step to foster even closer cooperation between the EU and Georgia,” said Commissioner Stylianides.
“To protect people, property and environment from disasters more effectively, we all need to be better prepared.”
In line with the administrative arrangement, the EU will further support the development of civil protection capacities in Georgia, gradually bringing the country closer to the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
The Mechanism enables coordinated assistance from its participating states when the scale of an emergency overwhelms the response capabilities of the country.
Georgia has recently adopted a new law on civil protection, an important legal accomplishment that will allow a comprehensive reform of the national civil protection system.
The new Georgian Emergency Management Service was established as part of this reform, in response to the 2017 Borjomi forest fires.
Since 2010, the EU has provided close to €4.5 million for disaster preparedness in Georgia. The EU is preparing further assistance targeting civil protection, emergency management and the implementation of Georgia’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear strategy.
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