Shota Berekashvili Delivered a Speech at the International Water Future Forum

An international forum on strategic water resource management and the effective use of natural resources by the state is being held, organized by Aqualia and GWP. Participants of the event—including representatives of the legislative and executive authorities, Tbilisi City Hall and GNERC, as well as international and local experts in the field of water resources—are discussing, over the course of two days, the importance of the water sector for the country’s sustainable development, international investments and partner support, as well as reform and infrastructure development issues, in a panel discussion format.

The international forum was opened with welcome addresses by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Mayor of Tbilisi Kakha Kaladze. Participants were also welcomed by Santiago Lafuente, Chief Executive Officer of Aqualia.

At the first panel of the forum, which focused on issues of governmental water policy, the Chair of the Economic Policy Committee, Shota Berekashvili, spoke about the involvement of the legislative branch in the water resource management process and the importance of creating an appropriate investment environment for the development of the sector.

“Water resource management is a key economic policy direction with strategic importance. The sector is regulated by both state-municipal and private structures. Without private investment, effective management of water resources will be challenging, as this field requires substantial capital investments and expenditures.

In these processes, the Parliament plays a particularly important role, as appropriate legislation makes it possible to more actively attract significant investments. To achieve this goal, regulation must be predictable and clear. The rules of the game, long-term processes, and the responsibilities of investors must be clearly understood by investors”, - Shota Berekashvili stated.

According to him, comprehensive legislation provides opportunities to achieve these goals, and Georgia has a balanced policy in this regard that governs relations between companies and consumers.

“In Georgia, tariffs are reviewed once every three years. This allows companies operating in the sector to plan their investments and business processes with a three-year outlook. All of this creates an important foundation for stability.

From the Parliament’s perspective, we are actively involved in regulatory matters in collaboration with GNERC. At the legislative level, we are prepared to develop initiatives that will facilitate the attraction of large-scale investments. This is crucial as effective water management systems cannot be achieved solely through state involvement. Private sector participation is essential as it leads in the field of innovation and the introduction of new technologies.

It is truly a great success for us that such an important international company as Aqualia operates in Georgia, making substantial investments to improve the sector and introduce modern technologies,” - Shota Berekashvili noted.