Supporting Regional Policy Implementation

Project Description:

The overall objective of this project is to contribute to balanced socio-economic development throughout Georgia by:

• Enhancing the capacity of Georgian institutions at national, regional and local levels to plan and implement integrated regional development policy
• Supporting more effective and transparent planning and spending of Georgian funds for development
• Supporting implementation by the Government of Georgia of the Regional Development Reform program supported under a Financing Agreement signed by the European Commission and the Government of Georgia.

The purpose of the project is to increase the capacity to plan and implement regional development policy in accordance with the State Strategy for Regional Development of Georgia for 2010-2017 and its 2011-2014 Action Plan. This includes more effective and transparent planning and spending of Georgian funds for development. The project’s performance is expected to result in more efficient regional development management, as well as increased capacity of policy formulation and strategic planning.

Background information:

Regional development programs and projects have been a very important element of the European Union’s activities for more than two decades and receive very substantial funding. Disparities between the European Union’s regions are seen as being detrimental to economic efficiency, political stability and social equity. Such disparities arise not simply from uneven allocations of resources but also from the working of the market itself and require public intervention if they are to be countered.

As Georgia continues to develop, a carefully targeted and programmed set of activities will be needed to promote balanced economic and social development across the country.