Georgia’s Foreign Minister: recent history proves peace prerequisite for development

The crucial role of peace in sustainable development was the central focus of this year's Tbilisi Sustainable Development Regional Forum, as articulated by Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili in her opening remarks.

Botchorishvili emphasised that this focus was neither accidental nor merely symbolic, particularly for a city like Tbilisi, where the devastating consequences of war were a relatively recent memory.

“Our recent history has taught us that it is impossible to speak about development without peace. That is why we strive to preserve peace in our country and, through that, to secure a better future for our people”, she said.

The Minister highlighted Tbilisi’s unique identity, shaped at the crossroads of East and West, marked by both strong individuality and remarkable diversity. This cultural richness, she noted, reflects the role Georgia has played for centuries as a bridge between civilisations.

“Sustainable peace in the region is a prerequisite for realising Georgia’s strategic objectives. We firmly believe that the broader the boundaries of peace, the greater our opportunities become. This is why we place such importance on preserving regional stability and are always ready to play a constructive role in normalising relations among our neighbours”, she continued.

The top Georgian diplomat expressed the Government's confidence that the wider the boundaries of peace were, the greater the country's capabilities would be.

“That is why we attach great importance to maintaining stability in our region and are always ready to play a constructive role in normalizing relations between our neighbours”, she noted.

She emphasised the rapid pace of economic growth in Georgia, which allowed the Government to pay more attention to the development of Tbilisi and also highlighted development of tourism in the country, which together created more opportunities for economic activity. also created more need for Tbilisi to be attractive to everyone.

“Georgia aspires to become a member of the European Union, and in this process, many important steps have been taken to bring our political, economic, and social life closer to European standards. Through good governance, good cooperation, and great love, progress has been made that no one can ignore today. Tbilisi 10 years ago and Tbilisi today are the best examples of how you can change dramatically without losing the main thing - identity”, Botchorishvili said.

She also added that in the conditions of globalisation, it was difficult to imagine development without international cooperation, therefore, sharing experiences, searching for new opportunities, achieving common goals through joint efforts should be the best example of cooperation between partners.

“Today's forum is an excellent opportunity to discuss important issues together, which in modern conditions are a priority for the development of our city and country”, she concluded.