The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has adopted a new country strategy for Georgia for 2022-27, with three key priorities:

The EBRD stands ready to help companies, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), boost their productivity and resilience by enhancing their competitiveness and improving their access to finance, for instance, through investments in digitalisation. The Bank will also continue its work to deepen the local capital market to provide companies with a wider variety of financing options.

The Bank will step up its efforts to support access to skills development, especially for young people, women and other marginalised groups, supporting job creation, also in regions outside the capital, Tbilisi. Better access to finance and essential municipal services for regional populations is a key focus of the EBRD’s work.

The EBRD is well positioned to help accelerate Georgia’s green economic transition by supporting initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the use of renewable energy. Based on the EBRD’s Green Economy Transition approach and building on its strong track record in this field, the Bank will combine investments in renewable energies with policy engagement. It will support the reform of state-owned enterprises, including greater energy and resource efficiency, and continue to expand its Green Cities framework.

Georgia has made great efforts in recent years to advance reforms and create a sustainable market economy. The new EBRD strategy will support the Georgian economy, significantly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, in its recovery and further development.

The EBRD is a leading institutional investor in Georgia. Since it started operating in the country, the Bank has invested more than €4.53 billion in 269 projects in the financial, corporate, infrastructure and energy sectors, with 78 per cent of these investments in the private sector.