On the 1st of October the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Ms Helen Clark paid a visit to Georgia. Within the framework of the visit, she held meetings with the President of Georgia, Mr Giorgi Margvelashvili, the Prime Minister, Mr Irakli Garibashvili and the Foreign Minister, Ms Maia Panjikidze, reports GHN based on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The two discussed the steps that have been taken since Helen Clark's last visit including the presidential and local elections, the EU Association Agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade area as well as specific projects regarding Georgia-UNDP cooperation.
Following the meeting with the Georgian Prime Minister, the UNDP Administrator and the Georgian Foreign Minister made statement for the press.
Helen Clark congratulated Georgia on the signature of the Association Agreement emphasizing the reforms the Government of Georgia has carried out in a number of fields: "We have discussed a great number of issues during out meetings and I'd like to underline that Georgia has made many significant moves forward. We congratulate Georgia on the signature of the Association Agreement including its DCFT component. We paid special attention to the programmes being carried out by the UNDP and other UN agencies in Georgia, and to the work the UNDP and the UN in general does in the occupied region of Abkhaiza, including the contribution we make towards the peaceful resolution of the conflicts. We highly appreciate the important reforms implemented in Georgia, and especially the inclusive development policy benefiting each citizen of the country. We also accept with satisfaction the adoption of the comprehensive human rights strategy by Georgia, which will form the cornerstone for the development of the country and will contribute to the creation of job places and to the further development of education," - Helen Clark said. The Administrator of the UN Development Programme underlined that she offered the Georgian Government a new plan of partnership, which is based upon the priorities outlined by the Government.
The Georgian Foreign Minister, Ms Maia Panjikidze thanked the UNDP Administrator for co-operation with Georgia, especially, for the work in Georgia's occupied territories. "The Georgian Prime Minister and me expressed Ms Clark our gratitude for the work that was carried out in Georgia's occupied region of Abkhazia and in villages adjacent to the occupation line with a view to improving the humanitarian situation of local population. We have expressed hope that cooperation will be enhanced and that the programmes, which are currently implemented in Abkhazia will be carried out in the Tskhinvali region as well", Panjikidze said.
Ms Clark first visited Georgia in February 2013, when she pledged the UNDP's increased support for the reforms carried out in the country. The UNDP delegation also included the UNDP Director of the Regional Bureau, Ms Cihan Sultanoğlu and the UNDP Resident Representative in Georgia, Mr Niels Scott.