On behalf of the Georgian people, it is an honour to speak to members again at the General Assembly.
As we gather for the seventy-seventh session, we reflect on our founding principles and the progress we have made as an international community since the creation of the United Nations. At the first session held in 1946, the founders vowed to unite to maintain global peace and security. While we have made significant advances, we must acknowledge the ongoing acts of aggression against members of this organ — the very same types of action that led to the establishment of the United Nations after the Second World War.
In 2008, my country, Georgia, was attacked by Russia, resulting in the ongoing occupation of 20 per cent of our territory. At the time, the international community recognized that aggression. But as we have learned, the world’s democracies must act as one to ensure that freedom and peace prevail. The United Nations was founded to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war and protect State sovereignty and territorial integrity. That is our duty. That is our promise.
Today I have the privilege of representing Georgia — a strong, proud, freedom-loving nation that has preserved its sacred heritage and history, while also evolving and adapting to the geopolitical realities of the twenty-first century. Thirty years ago, Georgia became part of the United Nations family. Now more than ever, we are committed to protecting our shared values, in our region and worldwide.
We seek all opportunities for collaboration with our international partners to advance the cause of peace. In that regard, the Geneva International Discussions are particularly crucial for bringing the Russian Federation to the table to address the implementation of the 2008 ceasefire agreement mediated by the European Union (EU). Georgia appreciates the international community’s support for its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Although my country is still occupied by Russia, we do not let that difficult challenge define us. We continue to punch above our weight and contribute to the international community. Since our Government came to power in 2012, we have implemented an ambitious reform agenda that has brought us closer to our key international partners, the EU, the United States, NATO and the United Nations. For the first time since we regained independence, Georgia and the Georgian people have enjoyed an unprecedented decade of peace, prosperity and stability. We are continuously working on Georgia’s global positioning and are already reaping the rewards.
According to the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index 2021, Georgia is first in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The Open Budget Survey 2021 ranked Georgia first in the world in terms of budget transparency. And according to the Fraser Institute’s Economic Freedom of the World: 2021 Annual Report, Georgia is among the top five economies, along with Singapore and Switzerland. NUMBEO named Georgia one of the world’s safest countries, ranking it fourteenth globally.
Our work to align more closely with the United States and Europe goes hand and hand with our commitment to continued democratic transformation. Increased Euro-Atlantic and European integration is our way of returning to the family of European nations, with which we share history, culture and — most important — values. We are continuing on our unequivocal path towards European and Euro- Atlantic integration.
Our commitment to those goals is backed up by actions and real results, including an Association Agreement with the EU, the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area and a visa-free travel arrangement with the EU. This year, we applied for full EU membership. The historic decision of the European Council to recognize the European perspective of Georgia created a new set of benchmarks. Just as in the past, Georgia will meet and exceed those benchmarks.
The prospect of acceding to the EU is strong motivation for our country and our citizens. We are fully aware that the European perspective comes with the responsibility to achieve the highest political, economic and legal convergence with the European Union. Georgia immediately responded to the European Council’s decision by presenting a very concrete action plan to address the Union’s 12 priorities. That inclusive process ensures the full engagement of all branches of the Government, the opposition parties and civil society. Working groups have been established in Parliament for each priority area with all relevant stakeholders. We are making progress and are well ahead of schedule. Let me be clear: Georgia deserves EU member candidate status, which will bring us to eventual membership and make the dream of generations a reality.
We have developed a long-term development strategy — Vision 2030 — a nationwide policy document that covers the key directives and priorities of our general development by 2030 and fully complies with the 2020 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Georgia also has in place a new national strategy for human rights protection for the years 2022-2030. The Government approved that strategy following discussions with both international partners and domestic civil society organizations. It aims to further improve human rights protection standards and is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. It is a comprehensive document that covers all fundamental human rights and freedoms.
We are working with the world’s leading firms and brightest minds to transform Georgia into a true multidimensional regional hub. Our financial services sector is globally recognized, and we now attract international investors, injecting additional funds into the education and health-care sectors. The startup ecosystem is thriving, and the logistics and energy potential have been realized. Collectively, those developments have created a sustainable and predictable economy for Georgia and its people.
Our Government’s sound policies led to a strong recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, with economic growth that reached 10.4 per cent in 2021 and far exceeded expectations from January to July 2022, at 10.3 per cent. According to the International Monetary Fund, our growth projections have reached 9 per cent for 2022, primarily due to our Government’s proactive measures to minimize the impacts of post-COVID-19 recovery and the war in Ukraine.
We are creating opportunities and giving all the necessary tools to our citizens, including those living in Georgia’s occupied territories. For that reason, here today at the General Assembly I would like to speak directly to my Abkhaz and Ossetian brothers and sisters and once again tell them that our strength is in unity. We will build Georgia together and peacefully turn it into a prosperous, free and unified European State.
War is raging again, not far from my country’s doorstep. Russia’s full-fledged war in Ukraine undermines that country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, as well as the Charter of the United Nations and the fundamental principles of international law.
Georgia stands with Ukraine. Since the start of the war, my Government has provided substantial humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, including the allocation of more than 1,000 tons of humanitarian aid. Georgia is providing financial assistance and accommodation to more than 32,000 Ukrainians currently residing in Georgia. The Georgian education system has enrolled more than 1,500 Ukrainian students, many of whom receive general education in the Ukrainian language according to the standard Ukrainian curriculums.
We have sponsored, joined or supported almost 400 resolutions, statements, joint statements and other initiatives made or proposed by major international organizations and institutions in support of Ukraine and were among the main sponsors of resolution ES-11/2, on the humanitarian consequences of the aggression against Ukraine.
As confirmed by the United States Department of State report on the investment climate in Georgia, the National Bank of Georgia and Georgian financial institutions act fully in accordance with the financial sanctions imposed by the United States and others on the Russian Federation. We have aligned with the restrictive measures imposed by the European Union against Crimea and Sevastopol as of 2014 and those imposed against Donetsk and Luhansk as of this year.
As the conflict in Ukraine has shown, the wider security of the Black Sea is at the forefront of the Euro- Atlantic security agenda. Georgia, as an indivisible part of the regional architecture, is ready to increase our contribution to common security. As we know well, security brings stability and stability brings
predictability, which is a crucial precondition for sustainable economic development.
Therefore, the more predictable the Black Sea region becomes, the more we can unlock its economic potential for the benefit of our people and the global economy. For that reason, we are developing strategic transport corridors to connect Asia with Europe. Georgia is participating in several international initiatives and infrastructure projects with our European colleagues in order to improve connectivity and facilitate reliable and efficient commerce across the Black Sea.
Despite the complex situation in our region, we spare no effort to foster rapprochement between our neighbours. We have already had success stories, including the safe return of 15 Armenian detainees to their homeland in exchange for maps of mined territories in Azerbaijan. In July of this year, the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia met in Tbilisi for the first time.
We are ready to serve as a venue for that dialogue to bring much-needed peace and stability to our region. With that in mind, Georgia has been promoting the Peaceful Neighbourhood Initiative, which envisions participation by all three States of the South Caucasus. That new initiative does not substitute, counter or oppose any other cooperation formats. Georgia wishes to serve as an honest broker to aid in normalizing regional relations.
We are also heavily investing in our country’s infrastructure in order to increase Georgian transit capabilities for the benefit of the region. We aim to attract greater institutional foreign investment, facilitate projects of regional importance and strengthen our infrastructural capabilities, thereby becoming an actual bridge between East and West. Our goal is to transform the South Caucasus into a region of opportunity and economic growth.
We are already discussing with our EU counterparts a list of flagship projects that will bring about additional economic synergies and serve as a catalyst for more connectivity and integration with the European Union and European markets. We believe that all countries of the South Caucasus and allies from the West will benefit from that collaboration. We must act now to secure the Black Sea, protect energy routes, maintain supply chains and increase regional connectivity in order to foster greater economic development. Those actions are all essential to European peace and prosperity.
We are mindful that our regional challenges must be addressed against the backdrop of global challenges, such as international security, the ongoing pandemic and climate change. Georgia is contributing to global peace and the rules-based international order. For more than two decades, Georgia has contributed to NATO missions around the world, serving as one of the largest per capita contributors to the mission in Afghanistan. We have lost many brave soldiers and suffered significant casualties, with hundreds wounded in those missions. Georgia reiterates its readiness to stand by NATO in protecting common security while continuing to support EU-led missions.
As I speak here today, dangers that we can no longer ignore are threatening all of humankind. The planetary crises created by climate change, from biodiversity loss to pollution, represent an existential threat. Like many challenges, climate change affects developing nations first, hindering their ability to realize the Sustainable Development Goals.
In Georgia, our Government has made significant investments in education, public health and the environment in order to ensure that future generations can thrive. Education systems are critical for empowering prosperous and productive societies. Education in the twenty-first century means investing in digital literacy and promoting infrastructure in order to bridge the digital divide and ensure that future crises, whether related to public health, war or climate change, do not create dire situations.
In conclusion, I believe that, working together, we shall return peace and prosperity to our homes and countries. That has been the spirit and the mandate vested in the United Nations from its founding — to support and ensure peace and cooperation. I am proud to represent my country before the Assembly today. After three decades of restored independence, Georgian dreams are becoming a reality. Our nation, the history of which goes back thousands of years, has in recent decades become an example of resilience and progress in the face of extraordinary challenges. With our international partners, I am confident that we will build a brighter, more peaceful and prosperous world, now and for the generations to follow.