Georgia: Minister of Environment and Agriculture Otar Shamugia attended the 32nd session of the European Union Programme Steering Committee “Europe’s Neighborhood Program for Agriculture and Rural Development” (ENPARD).
Otar Shamugia thanked the European Union for constantly supporting rural and agricultural development.
“Cooperation and support of international partners in the process of implementing reforms is particularly important. We express our full readiness for cooperation and friendship. I am sure that together, we will achieve much more results for the welfare of Georgia and to achieve the goal of integration of our country into the European Union.”
As you should be informed, Georgia is waiting for a historic decision from the European Union. Last year, our country was granted a European perspective, 12 recommendations were issued, on which both the Georgian government and the Georgian Parliament are actively working. Everything is being done to comply with the recommendations, said Otar Shamugia.
“The Georgian Government and Georgian people are waiting for a very important decision, and we hope that this decision will be positive. Regarding commitments fulfilled under ENPARD Phase IV budgetary component, this year, the mission of experts hired by the European Commission was visited to provide information to the evaluators on the implementation of the commitments in 2022.”
“We hope the assessment will be positive. In addition, the agenda is the state of performing commitments for 2023, which is a priority for us, and we are actively working to ensure that every Agency or company fulfils its commitments on time,” said Otar Shamugia.
At the meeting, the Minister thanked the European Union for the agreement to change the indicator related to the quality system in the National Food Agency and noted that the Agency is actively working on the implementation of this indicator. Otar Shamugia also talked about issues related to the LEADER approach.
As the Minister said, in 2023, 1 million GEL was allocated from the state budget; with the support of UNDP, the project of the state program was developed, which was agreed with the European Commission.
Otar Shamugia focused on the institutional reform of the Agency for Rural Development, the current situation of implementation of the 2021-2023 action plan and the development of the 2024-2027 action plan. The Minister informed the participants of the meeting about the changes made in the fields of agriculture and environmental protection over the past year, the progress made and future plans.
According to Nikolas Sanderovic, Head of the EU Delegation Cooperation Department, this program is one of the good examples of the EU’s support for the implementation of European standards in Georgia, which will be very important on the road to the EU.
First Deputy Minister of Environment and Agriculture Nino Tandilashvili participated in the ENPARD Steering Committee meeting.
ENPARD Steering Committee meeting was held with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The event was attended by Kakha Kakabadze, Deputy Minister of Environment and Agriculture, Ministry and relevant agencies involved in its system, EU representatives, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Czech Development Agency (CzDA), Swedish Agency for International Development and Cooperation (SIDA) They were learning.
