The Thematic Group of High-Mountain Region Municipalities, operating under the auspices of the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG), continues its activities aimed at thoroughly addressing the needs and challenges of these regions.
On July 15, the second meeting of the thematic group was held in Mestia Municipality, bringing together mayors from various municipalities, including representatives from Akhalkalaki, Akhmeta, Dusheti, and Mestia.
The meeting was opened by Kapiton Zhorzholiani, the Mayor of Mestia Municipality, and Nino Rukhadze, the Executive Director of NALAG. In their welcoming remarks, they emphasized the importance of collaboration and a shared platform in the regional development process, which is particularly crucial for better resource planning and the formulation of common strategic approaches.
During the meeting, the 2024-2030 Development Strategy for High-Mountain Settlements was presented by Giorgi Dididze, Head of Department of Regional and Mountainous Areas Development of the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia. Following the strategyβs presentation, an open discussion took place where participants actively discussed ongoing challenges and development opportunities.
The second session was fully dedicated to exploring international cooperation directions. In this part of the meeting, municipal leaders presented their visions and discussed pathways for international partnerships, which, as they noted, would facilitate the attraction of additional resources for high-mountain regions.
Within the framework of the meeting, participants also reviewed current issues and summarized the main outcomes of the day.
The meeting of the Thematic Group of High-Mountain Region Municipalities was also attended by Vladimer Bozhadze, First Deputy Chair of the Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Committee of the Parliament of Georgia; Manana (Matsatso) Narimanidze, Vice-President of NALAG and Mayor of Dusheti Municipality; and Lasha Archvadze, Deputy Executive Director of NALAG.