Georgia: French Development Agency (AFD) has announced on Monday that it has provided a grant of €500,000 to Georgian Railways to support and promote the sustainable development of railway transportation in the nation and to align Georgia with European Union norms and regulations in the field.
As part of the AFDs grant to Georgian Railways, a national rail policy document, freight market research, and development strategy in the regional context will be detailed in cooperation between both sides. In addition, an investment plan aiming at enlarging the freight market in Georgia will also be made.
Moreover, the Georgian company also announced the arrival in Georgia of a French expert who will “properly implement” the goals. The expert will meet with representatives from the Georgian Railway and various other official agencies during their tour to discuss the project.
The project is set to begin this month and is expected to run between 12 and 18 months.
Since 2012, Georgia has received a total of €250.7 million in financial commitments from AFD for projects for urban and rural development, infrastructure, governance, and renewable energy projects. In 2017, the Agency established a presence in Tbilisi.
Furthermore, in a meeting held on March 30, between Georgian Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili and Diego Colas, the French Ambassador to Georgia discussed the ongoing programmes in the areas of regional and urban development, vocational education, and governance with the support of the French Development Agency (AFD).
