On May 22, Georgian Institute of Politics (GIP) conducted the Local Advisory Council (LAC) in Gori. Participants of the LAC included representatives of local civil society organizations (CSOs), SMEs and public officials of local Mayors’ offices and Sakrebulos of different municipalities of the region, as well as the staff of the Information-Consultation Centers (ICCs) operating under the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture of Georgia.  LAC meeting included 23 participants, among them 7 representatives of CSOs, 3 SMEs and 13 public officials.    

The LAC included three sessions. During the first session, LAC members identified three sub-economic sectors for Shida Karti Region which have the export potential to the EU Single Market. Sub-economic sectors included: bee-keeping, wine-making, fruit growing. Within the second session, LAC participants pointed out major problems SMEs are facing in respective region in terms of DCFTA implementation. Among key challenges influencing SMEs activities in region included the lack of education and qualified workforce, the lack of necessary infrastructure and technologies, problems related to comprehensive soil diagnosis. The final session featured a discussion about the recommendations and possible measures to address the problems existing within identified prospective economic sub-sectors.   

The LAC was facilitated by the staff of the Georgian Institute of Politics (GIP). At the end of the meeting, LAC participants nominated 2 delegates (one civil society actor and one local entrepreneur) to represent the region at the CAC to be held in Tbilisi.