Georgian PM links sustainable development with biodiversity protection and rural growth

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday highlighted the country’s sustained economic growth, noting that the average growth rate reached 7.6% in the first eight months of 2026.

Addressing the COP17 Leaders’ Summit, Kobakhidze stressed that a key government priority was to ensure that the benefits of economic growth also reached people living in rural and mountainous regions.

“Georgia continues to maintain a high pace of economic development. During the first eight months of 2026, the average economic growth rate reached 7.6%. The World Bank recently revised its 2026 economic growth forecast for Georgia upwards to 7%. According to the same organisation, Georgia is projected to record the highest economic growth rate among European countries between 2026 and 2028”, the Prime Minister said.

“Our priority is to ensure that the benefits of economic growth extend to people in rural and mountainous regions, whose livelihoods depend directly on natural resources. For this reason, we are turning protected areas, forest restoration and sustainable tourism into drivers of local development, ensuring that nature conservation creates jobs and new opportunities not only in major cities but also in rural communities”, he continued.

The Prime Minister added that achieving lasting results also required cross-border cooperation.

“In the South Caucasus, shared ecosystems provide an important foundation for strengthening regional partnerships and promoting sustainable development”, Kobakhidze noted.

He reaffirmed the Georgian Government’s readiness to work closely with neighbouring countries to protect the region’s shared natural heritage.