Upon the joint invitation of European Commissioner Jessica Rosvali and Magnus Heuninck, Minister of Environment and President of the Council of the European Union, David Songhulashvili took part in a panel discussion in Nairobi with both officials.
In Nairobi, the capital of the Republic of Kenya, within the framework of the seventh session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), a panel discussion of ministers of participating countries was held on the theme – “Time is running out: it is time for an agreement on the global plastic treaty“.
Ministers of Environment of the Republic of Kenya, Georgia, People’s Republic of China, United Kingdom, and the Federal Republic of Brazil participated in a joint discussion held between the European Commissioner, Jessica Rosvall, and the Chairman of the Council of the European Union, Minister of Environment of the Council of Denmark, Magnus Heunike.
As David Songulashvili, Minister of Environment and Agriculture of Georgia, noted during his speech, the world is waiting for an ambitious and practical international treaty to solve the problem of plastic pollution.
According to the Minister, Georgia, as a candidate country for EU membership, is ready to bring its national environmental standards into compliance with European requirements. David Songulashvili emphasized the importance of a peaceful and stable political environment for sustainable environmental policies. Despite regional security challenges, Georgia is firmly maintaining a course of peace and stability, strengthening its role as a strategic transit corridor between Europe and Asia.
“The reforms implemented by the government create the basis for the growth of the country’s economic role and further expansion of international cooperation.” The main priority of the Georgian government is to reform the national environmental system to create a healthier environment for citizens and to fulfill international obligations,” David Songulashvili said.
The minister spoke about the new regulations adopted by Georgia, which prohibit the import, production, and use of selected single-use plastic products and expanded polystyrene (EPS) food containers from January 2026. According to him, the move represents a large-scale reform aimed at reducing plastic pollution and developing a circular economy.
David Songulashvili confirmed that Georgia is ready to actively participate in negotiations to make the Global Plastics Treaty effective, fair, and result-oriented.
The meeting was attended by Nino Tandilashvili, the First Deputy Minister of Environment and Agriculture, and the Ambassador of Emergency Plenipotentiary of Georgia to Ethiopia and the African Union, Gia Macharadze.
