Tbilisi, Georgia: Ilia Dariashvili, the candidate for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, spoke about the state’s efforts to support Georgian citizens living abroad at the Joint Meeting of the Committees for Foreign Relations, Integration with Europe and Diaspora and Caucasian Affairs on February 7, 2024.
He emphasized the importance of various programs aimed at supporting diaspora organizations, Sunday schools, and cultural heritage, as well as the intensity of diaspora grant programs and the increased interest of diasporas in participating in them.
According to Dariashvili, the grant projects initiated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are an excellent way to represent Georgia worldwide and strengthen national self-reliance and diaspora organizations. He said, “Special importance is given to the active involvement of our compatriots living abroad in rebuilding the country and, in this respect, the support of the state.
That is why refining the Ministry’s mechanisms and cooperation with internal and external actors will continue to be even more intensive. In this process, we are also considering the best practices of various developed countries (Ireland, Israel) and trying to bring successful models into our reality.”
Dariashvili also spoke about the mechanisms needed to implement the priorities, goals, and tasks set for the diaspora. He said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is improving the legal framework, the institutional structure, the communication channels, and the data collection and analysis systems for diaspora affairs.
He also mentioned the plans to establish a Diaspora Agency under the Ministry, which would coordinate and monitor the diaspora policy and strategy implementation.
The members of the Parliament attended the Joint Meeting of the Committees, as well as the representatives of the relevant ministries, the diplomatic corps, the civil society, and the media.
The meeting was part of the parliamentary hearings on the candidates for the new cabinet of ministers, formed after the snap parliamentary elections on January 28, 2024.
