Estonia and Georgia Signed a Cooperation Programme

25.06.2012

On 20 June, Mr. Peeter Seestrand, Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture of Estonia,  and Mr. Konstantine Kobaxidze, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Georgia, signed a bilateral cooperation programme for the period 2012–2014.

The programme provides the enhancement of cooperation and joint projects particularly in the fields of food safety, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, agricultural policy, economic and trade relations, market development, agricultural advisory system and vocational education, and between professional organisations.

„Cooperation between the Ministries of Agriculture of Georgia and Estonia has been very successful and we greatly appreciate Estonian expert assistance,“ said Mr. Konstantine Kobaxidze, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Georgia. „Today, Georgia is actively working at the development of the sector of agriculture and rural areas. The conclusion of a free trade agreement with the European Union  is one of the most important objectives of the nearest future. The reform experience of Estonia helps us a lot.“

The cooperation programme signed today is the continuation of the Memorandum of Understanding signed at the beginning of the year 2010. The document signed by the Ministers of Agriculture of Estonia and Georgia Mr. Helir-Valdor Seeder and Mr. Bakur Kvezereli provided the basis for the development of bilateral economic and trade relations in the fields of agriculture and food production.

„So far, our cooperation has been extremely fruitful,“ said Mr. Peeter Seestrand, Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture of Estonia. „In the past, we received considerable support from foreign experts and our reform experience is still rather fresh. As a Member State of the EU, we consider the transfer of our knowledge to the countries just taking the road we have already passed to be our task. Considering the development potential of Georgia, I believe in their capacity to move on towards their goal to modernise agriculture.“
  

Additional information:

Karin Volmer
Press Officer
Ministry of Agriculture
phone: +372 625 6254
e-mail: karin.volmer@agri.ee