Georgian Delegation Meets Diaspora Expert Kingsley Thomas Aikins During Ireland Visit
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, December 25, 2023
The press service of the Parliament has released information that, as part of their working visit to the Republic of Ireland, members of the Georgian delegation held a meeting with Professor Kingsley Thomas Aikins - an international expert in diaspora issues and a representative of the scientific diaspora organization Diaspora Matters.
Beka Odisharia, Chairperson of the Diaspora and Caucasus Affairs Committee, expressed gratitude to Kingsley Thomas Aikins for his active cooperation in addressing diaspora issues and for the recommendations provided.
"On my initiative, I invited you to the committee meeting in December 2022. Based on your suggestions, we have conducted numerous in-depth studies on diaspora and migration processes. Following your recommendation, and with the assistance of ICMPD, we conducted a significant thematic study in 2023 on diaspora engagement and sustainable diaspora capital raising, authored by Professor Martin Russell. I would also like to express my gratitude to our foreign partners and international experts in diaspora issues, whose advice and recommendations are invaluable for the implementation of diaspora policy," said Beka Odisharia.
Kingsley Thomas Aikins shared his experience with the members of the delegation and expressed his willingness to assist the Georgian authorities in establishing more effective relations with the diaspora and actively involving them in the construction of the state. According to Aikins, Georgia has significant potential as many successful Georgians are working in various parts of the world.
The members of the Georgian delegation emphasized that the state views the diaspora as an opportunity with the greatest potential and must be actively involved in the country's reconstruction. There was a significant emphasis on leveraging the knowledge and capabilities of the diaspora to attract investments and promote economic empowerment in the country.
At the conclusion of the meeting, members of the Diaspora and Caucasus Affairs Committee expressed gratitude to Kingsley Thomas Aikins and affirmed their commitment to future cooperation.
Beka Odisharia extended an invitation to Professor Kingsley Thomas Aikins to participate in the Great Diaspora Economic Forum, scheduled to be held in Tbilisi in May of next year.
