Georgia to help Afghanistan in implementing reforms
By Tea Mariamidze
Thursday, June 29
Georgia’s First Vice-Premier and Finance Minister Dimitri Kumsishvili says that his Afghan counterpart, Eklil Ahmad Hakimi, is interested in the successful reforms that Georgia has been implementing in various directions.
“Georgia’s experience in terms of tax and customs administration and budgeting is what we agreed to share with the Afghan side,” Kumsishvili stated after his meeting with the Finance Minister of Afghanistan.
The Georgian minister added that it will be very important for Georgian entrepreneurs if the Afghan market opens and Georgian products will be exported there.
Among these products, the first Vice-Premier named water, mineral water, live goods and other products that can increase exports from Georgia.
Eklil Ahmad Hakimi arrived in Georgia on June 28 to meet local authorities and discuss trade-economic and transport issues with them.
At the meeting with his Georgian counterpart, the sides emphasized the friendly relations between the two countries.
It was also noted that there is a great potential for deepening cooperation between Georgia and Afghanistan.
Special attention was paid to the opportunities that Georgian companies have in Afghanistan.
At the meeting, Kumsishvili introduced his Afghan guest to the economic situation of Georgia, the government's 4-point plan and the ongoing and planned reforms within its framework.
Special emphasis was made on the possibility of developing a transit corridor, which will include both Georgia and Afghanistan.
There was also an extensive presentation on the modern infrastructure of the Ministry of Finance, particularly on the customs check points, where the simplified procedures contribute to the development of transit potential of the country.
Later, the Finance Minister of Afghanistan will meet other members of Government of Georgia and also local business representatives.
He will also visit the Black Sea towns of Batumi and Poti to see the ports of the towns and to learn about their operations.
