The FINANCIAL DIPLOMATIC: Germany was the first country in the European Community to recognize Georgia under international law after it gained independence in 1991. Does Germany have the same grade of enthusiasm toward Georgia’s development?
A. Yes. Georgia is important to Germany. We share the same interest – that Georgia achieves EU candidate status as soon as possible and then we have successful accession negotiations so that Georgia becomes an EU member. This will advance stability, prosperity, freedom, and peace – just like previous EU enlargements have.
The FINANCIAL DIPLOMATIC: Do you think Georgia’s development has been on right row since the collapse of the Soviet Union?
A. Georgia has achieved very much since then. Germany and the EU will continue to be reliable partners to Georgia in the future, We will face the challenges of the future together.
The FINANCIAL DIPLOMATIC: Which sector of Georgia’s economy has the highs rate of German investment?
A. The main German investments currently are in construction, agricultural/food processing, finance, and real estate as well as business process outsourcing. The energy and tourism sectors have a high potential for German investors, too. For the future, I see a big opportunity for Georgia to become a connectivity hub between Europe, the South Caucasus, Central, and Eastern Asia. Together with its international partners, Georgia should invest even more into improving transport connections, especially also railways and ports, as well as businesses in the energy, digital services, trading, and logistics. I will also try to establish more connections between Georgian and German startups. They can mutually benefit from access to markets and talent.
The FINANCIAL DIPLOMATIC: What is the volume of investments in Georgia’s travel sector?
A. We don’t have official statistics, but in the years leading up to the pandemic, the number of German tourists in Georgia has seen an unprecedented rise. German tourists love Georgia.
In 2022, inbound tourism numbers in Georgia reached a pre-pandemic level for the first time. By the way, from 7-9 March 2023, Georgia will be the official guest country at the world’s largest tourism trade fair, ITB, in Berlin. This will be a unique opportunity to promote Georgia including investment in its tourism sector.
The FINANCIAL DIPLOMATIC: What are the main challenges for German investors in Georgia?
A. The biggest challenge is to find employees with the necessary level of skills. It’s a really a big problem. The solution is to do everything to raise the skills level in Georgia and that qualified people stay here. So Germany supports German-style vocational training in Georgia in the sectors of tourism, wine, construction, logistics, and IT.
We work together with the Ministry of Education and Science, the Vocational Skills Agency but also the organized private sector, especially the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as five sectorial associations. We also support academic exchange and research to foster the high-skills sector.
The FINANCIAL DIPLOMATIC: Which field of cooperation between two countries is the most developed?
A. We have a close co-operation in the political, economic and cultural fields. Perhaps this is the right place to mention that Germany is the largest bilateral donor of development aid, together with the U.S. and the biggest donor of all the EU member states.
Our focal areas of cooperation are vocational education, private sector development, renewable energy, and energy efficiency, sustainable urban development (e.g. mobility in Tbilisi and Batumi) as well as additional projects in the field of good governance.
The FINANCIAL DIPLOMATIC: Germany supports the export of Georgia’s electricity to the EU. What are the advantages of this project?
A. This is a project of huge strategic and economic importance. Germany and the EU are establishing a carbon-neutral economy. We need huge amounts of green energy. Russia cannot be an energy partner for Europa until it returns to civilized norms of behavior. The Black Sea electricity cable is part of the solution. It will be a win-win project.
The EU imports green electricity. Georgia and as well as its neighbors in the South Caucasus produce power from hydro, solar, and wind. That can be a central element in the region’s potential to be the connectivity hub I mentioned before. The EU Commission recently announced its intention to invest EUR 2.3 billion – with a „b“ – into the project. The project is symbolic of what our common future could look like.
The FINANCIAL DIPLOMATIC: Germany is a popular destination for Georgian students. What is the share of students who are back to Georgia after graduation?
A. We don’t have statistics on that, but every day I meet highly educated and qualified Georgians who got their education in Germany and are now adding value to Georgia.
We have a program that supports „Returning Experts“ to re-integrate here. Hundreds of experts have participated in this program already.
Today, many of them hold leading positions in Georgian politics, business, and civil society. I met with them recently and was super impressed.
The FINANCIAL DIPLOMATIC: Do you think Georgia’s job market can accommodate Georgian students with German education?
A. Yes. It already does. But of course, it is not easy. First, there have to be opportunities for companies to make a profit. Then they will invest and hire. And then, naturally, people with a good German education will be great candidates. That is why we look at our Georgian-German partnership in a comprehensive way.
The best way for the Georgian economy to prosper is to join the EU. That is the framework for all our cooperation. As Georgia moves along this path, we will all benefit from more stability, better business opportunities, and more well-paying jobs on the basis of a free market, mature regulation as well as social and ecological responsibility.
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