The National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia convened its XLVIII session of the Executive Board, during which eight agenda items were discussed. Giorgi Tkemaladze, the vice president of NALAG, was elected chairman of the meeting by the Board members. Following this, the session attendees were informed about the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between the association and MERCY CORPS.

As Nino Rukhadze, the executive director of NALAG, explained, by signing the document, the organizations express their readiness to collaborate in promoting gender equality and to further deepen mutual cooperation by protecting the common interests of both parties.

The board members were also informed about the signing of a memorandum of cooperation with the International Center of Education to enhance the qualifications of municipal employees.

Nino Rukhadze also informed the session participants about the need to update the delegates representing NALAG in its partner international organizations.

The executive director discussed the close cooperation between the mentioned platforms and NALAG and introduced Telavi City Council Chairman Tengiz Mtvarelishvili and Levan Abashidze, a member of Tbilisi’s representative body, as delegates of the European Platform for Local & Regional International Action (PLATFORMA). Session attendees approved the new composition of the delegation with the majority of votes.

It was also unanimously decided that Guram Okropiridze, the Chairman of the Sports and Youth Affairs Commission of the Capital City Council, and Magda Kostava, the Chairman of the Gender Equality Council of the Kutaisi City Council, will represent Georgia in the Committee of Young Elected Politicians of The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR). They are both actively involved in the activities mentioned above.

Upon the request of the Public Service Bureau, the board members elected the members of the Public Service Council, a deliberative body under the Prime Minister of Georgia. As decided at the meeting, Manana (Matsatso) Narimanidze, the mayor of Dusheti municipality and vice-president of NALAG, along with Davit Sherazadishvili, the mayor of Bolnisi municipality will fill the mentioned positions.

At the end of the session, the members of the Council, under the USAID Local Self-Government Development Program, received information about NALAG’s evaluation report project by VNG International. The report was presented to the audience by VNG’s expert, Nino Zurabishvili, and NALAG’s executive director, Nino Rukhadze.

Lasha Archvadze, the deputy executive director of NALAG, also attended the session, which was conducted online.