Georgian-Iranian Business Forum shapes future of stronger cooperation

Georgia and Iran are carrying forward millennia-old relations by forging closer ties in various sectors including trade, economy and agriculture.

An Iranian delegation comprised of the top managers of 30 Iranian companies arrived in Georgia yesterday to participate in the Georgian-Iranian Business Forum and strengthen economic relations between two countries.

The Forum gave a platform to the government authorities as well as representatives of Georgian and Iranian companies to establish communication for more productive future cooperation.

As Georgia’s Ministry of Economy reported, the main interest of Iranian business delegation was transport, chemical products and oil transportation, food industry, wood processing, manufacturing of electric equipment, oil and gas, financial sector.

At the Forum, Georgian authorities showcased the country’s favorable business environment and urged Iranian business delegation to invest in Georgia.

Georgia’s Economy Minister Giorgi Gakharia positively assessed current trade-economic relations between Georgia and Iran.

We know that a very large project has been initiated, which is meant to create an oil processing enterprise… In the first eight months [of 2017] trade turnover [between Georgia and Iran] increased by 48 percent… We try to overcome all challenges in order to have more effective communication [with Iran],” said Gakharia.

As for other data, the Ministry of Economy announced that the number of Iranian tourists visiting Georgia increased by 127 percent between January and September 2017 compared to the same period of 2016. Meanwhile, the number of investments from Iran has also been increased year-on-year by 657 percent and reached $1.6 million.

Meanwhile, also yesterday a sixth meeting of Georgia-Iran Economic Commission was held in Tbilisi, where the authorities talked about how to improve cooperation in the fields of transport, trade, manufacturing, agriculture, food industry and financial sector.

We have agreed that it is necessary to deepen cooperation in terms of establishing joint enterprises,” said Gakharia after the meeting.

Discussions about joint activities in agricultural sector continued today as well at the meeting between Georgia’s Agriculture Minister Levan Davitashvili and Iranian Minister of Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare Ali Rabie.

As Davitashvili stated there was an opportunity to develop "various directions” based on the memorandums of understanding that are signed between Georgia and Iran. (Agenda.ge)