There is a world outside of the collapsing European Union economy. In better times, Georgia planned on joining the EU, but when the EU made it clear that a country could not work with the EU unless it broke off its dealings with Russia, the government of Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze moved on.
Today, Kobakhidze opened the 5th Tbilisi Silk Road Forum at the Georgian Opera and Ballet Theatre. Its theme, “Invest in Connectivity—Grow in Stability,” underlines the link between economic development and political stability—a clear response to the EU’s ongoing “color revolution” attempts in Georgia.
More than 2,300 participants from more than 70 countries showed up on Oct. 22. According to the newspaper Georgia Today, the forum is designed “to strengthen economic, political and cultural ties between Asia and Europe. It brings together heads of government, senior policymakers, global business leaders and representatives from leading international organizations, including the United Nations, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization.”
Of no little importance, given recent regional instabilities, the opening session featured a high-level dialogue between Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov. Seven thematic panels are taking place on Oct. 22, exploring investment potential and cross-border infrastructure development, including the Anaklia Deep-Sea Port and the Black Sea submarine cable projects.
Also of note was a significant delegation from Qatar, headed up by His Excellency Minister of Transport Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al-Thani. According to the Gulf Times, Qatar says that “its participation in this event translates into its commitment to supporting the international efforts aimed at enhancing global connectivity and exchange of expertise in the domain of transportation.”
Meanwhile, last week Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen circulated a video of herself in front of the Georgian parliament, where she joined an anti-government rally on Tbilisi’s main avenue, Rustaveli. Her meeting with Kobakhidze was cancelled and she was fined for “blocking the road.”
