Georgian FM: peace has very special meaning for Georgia

Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili on Thursday said sustainable peace required strong national institutions, decisions guided by national priorities and respect for each country’s sovereign right to determine its own path, stressing the importance of national ownership in peacebuilding efforts.

Speaking at the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission’s Ministerial Meeting, Botchorishvili said peace remained one of the most important collective responsibilities more than eight decades after the establishment of the United Nations.

“For Georgia, peace has a very special meaning. We have lived with the consequences of war and conflict for decades, and their effects are still deeply felt across our society”, Botchorishvili said.

She noted that the continued occupation of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region by Russia remained a daily reality for Georgia.

“That is why we know the price of peace. And we know that peace is the foundation of our development, our prosperity and our future”, the Minister said.

According to Botchorishvili, this understanding had guided the Georgian Government’s policy amid an increasingly unpredictable security environment.

She pointed to Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine and instability in the Middle East, saying the developments were affecting energy, trade and the wider security environment.

“In this context, preserving peace and stability at home is a matter of vital national interest for Georgia”, she said.

Botchorishvili said Georgia remained committed to the peaceful resolution of the Russia-Georgia conflict, reconciliation and engagement with conflict-affected populations.

She stressed that international support was essential but could not replace national responsibility.

“Sustainable peace requires strong national institutions, decisions rooted in national priorities, and respect for the sovereign right of each country to determine its own path. It also requires the trust and participation of society”, she noted.