President Kavelashvili: Global challenges exist, but Georgia must stay its course, drive progress, and guard national interests

The President of Georgia, Mikheil Kavelashvili, has stated that high-level meetings during his visit to Geneva highlighted Georgia’s rapid pace of development, its peaceful foreign policy, and its pivotal strategic role within the Middle Corridor.

According to President Kavelashvili, this widespread praise serves as definitive validation that Georgia is on the right track.

“We had highly engaging discussions yesterday. Notably, when it comes to the integration of Artificial Intelligence, Georgia is currently a frontrunner, and our ambition is to further cultivate this sector at home.

I had the privilege of meeting the UN Secretary-General, Mr Guterres. Today, I also met with the Directors-General of both the World Trade Organisation and the World Health Organisation. Each of them unanimously commended Georgia’s developmental momentum, our economic growth, peaceful policy, and our standing as a logistical hub for the South Caucasus and the Middle Corridor. I was delighted to see our country receive such stellar accolades. This feedback proves that Georgia is pursuing the correct path. Our policies and the government’s decisive actions are widely recognised. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised by how thoroughly versed they are in our domestic situation and the strides our country is making. They expressed a keen interest in fostering closer ties with us, a sentiment we wholeheartedly return.

We always represent our nation with immense pride. It is vital to underscore our transparency, the government’s role in our current economic expansion, business freedom, and, of course, the surge in trade turnover. These global bodies, which track statistics daily, are unanimous regarding Georgia’s current regional role. In this respect, Georgia is an exemplary nation. We can all see the immense challenges facing the wider world,” President Kavelashvili remarked.

Furthermore, the President highlighted the dual nature of AI, emphasising both its profound potential and its inherent risks.

“Numerous studies across various sectors have examined the ultimate impact of Artificial Intelligence. Without wanting to alarm the public, concerns were explicitly raised at the forum: if we do not maintain intensive dialogue, active government oversight, and robust regulatory frameworks, an unchecked AI could prove detrimental to both individuals and state structures alike. I therefore warmly welcome such forums and am glad to have participated. These summits ensure that the significance of AI is steered toward a positive impact across all industries.

The technology is evolving rapidly, and we want its implementation in Georgia to reflect purely positive trends. Integrating AI across various fields will unlock greater opportunities to accelerate our nation’s progress. Ultimately, everything traces back to the human element: human development and self-realisation. AI must serve this purpose rather than hinder it. To achieve this, safeguarding our national interests, human rights, and citizen security is paramount.

Georgia is fully prepared for progress; the reality of our time dictates that AI will play a massive role. Consequently, we aim to be thoroughly informed and actively engaged in its evolution. We have even taken the initiative to propose hosting similar global forums right here in Georgia, for the South Caucasus region. Our international partners are exceptionally well-disposed towards us. The Directors-General of the WHO and WTO are fully aware of our potential, and I want to send a wave of positive energy to our citizens: we are progressing remarkably well.

Naturally, challenges exist everywhere, but at this stage, Georgia is truly an exemplary nation. We must stay the course, remain deeply motivated toward progress and innovation, and concurrently guard our national interests. The last four years have served as a textbook example of how an independent, fully realised nation driven by its own sovereign interests should conduct itself,” the President concluded.