The "Partnerships4SDGs - Implementing Sustainable Development Goals Locally" Conference Unfolds in Batumi
Batumi hosted the conference "Partnerships 4SDGs - Localization of Sustainable Development Goals" on June 8th and 9th. The event was the outcome of the joint organization efforts of the UN Global Compact Network Georgia and the Sustainable Development Goals Council, coupled with the Swedish government's support.
June 8th marked the beginning of the conference with a round table discussion, featuring the mayors of Western Georgian municipalities and the local private sector. They deliberated on the process of integrating sustainable development goals at the local level and explored the ensuing opportunities and challenges.
On June 9th, the conference continued with enlightening panel discussions. Among the distinguished panelists were Salome Zurabishvili, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network Georgia; Archil Chikovani, Mayor of Batumi; and Vakhtang Katamadze, Head of the Policy Planning and Coordination Department at the Administration of the Government of Georgia.
The first panel was a think tank discussing the policy-level integration of the 2030 Agenda. The panelists included Catarina Bjorlin Hansen, EBRD Regional Director for the Caucasus; Valerian Gvalia, Head of the Investment Policy and Support Department at the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development; Natia Tsikaradze, Head of the SDG Unit of the Administration of the Government of Georgia; Giorgi Akhalaia, Deputy Chief of Party at the USAID Economic Security Program; and Otar Antia, Green Economy Transition Expert at Investors Council of Georgia.
The subsequent panel comprised of distinguished representatives sharing best practices on fulfilling European regulations and Sustainable Development goals. They included Maka Bochorishvili, Environmental, Social and Governance Coordinator at TBC Bank; Iza Gotsadze, Head of Strategic Communications at Adjaristsqali Georgia LLC; Etuna Tsotniashvili, Communications and Corporate Sustainability Manager at APM Terminals Poti; and Geno Dzidziguri, Director of Human Resources Management Department at Hilton Batumi.
Salome Zurabishvili, Executive Director at UN Global Compact Network Georgia, shed light on the conference's objective. She stated, "Together with business representatives and the mayors of 12 municipalities, we deliberated on optimizing the local implementation of Sustainable Development Goals through synergistic efforts of businesses and local governments. For effective localization of these goals, policy documents must be devised and implemented. The Georgian government has already embarked on this journey with local action plans established in 32 municipalities, and the work is ongoing. We aim to involve the business sector in this process."
She emphasized that the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals is not a state's responsibility alone. The engagement of other stakeholders is pivotal, particularly the business sector. "It's crucial for businesses to efficiently gather and track data regarding their actions towards achieving state-determined national level indicators. The meetings we conduct across various regions facilitate stakeholders' engagement and foster collaborative actions," Zurabishvili added.