On May 23, 2018, in frame of the project "Georgia on European Way: Creation of Effective Model for DCFTA and SME Strategy Implementation" which is funded by European Union and is implemented in Georgia by Consortium consisting of international and Georgian organizations, there was held a Local Advisory Council (LAC) meeting in Zugdidi of Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti region, which was organized by the Consortium member organizations – Association “Atinati” and was facilitated by ABCO. Participants of the LAC meeting included representatives of the three target groups of the region’s society – local CSOs, SMEs and Public representatives - officials of local Mayor’s offices and Sakrebulos of different municipalities of the region as well as staff of the municipal Information-Consultation Centers (ICCs) of the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture of Georgia. LAC meeting took place in the meeting hall of the Mayor’s office and local Sakrebulo in Zugdidi. Total number of 30 participants attended, including representatives of 10 CSOs, 9 Cooperatives and 11 Public sector representatives.
According to the LAC agenda, participants aimed at accomplishing the following tasks which included: 1) Identification and prioritization of economic sub-sectors typical for Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti region that have potential for development and for export-oriented production in frame of the DCFTA agreement between Georgia and the EU; 2) Identification of the problems and constraints which SMEs and farmers who operate in the prioritized economic sub-sectors of the region are currently facing; 3) Development of recommendations for relevant state institutions and government agencies at local and central levels, regarding possible measures to address problems and constraints existing within the prioritized sub-sectors of economy that aim at improving situation for SMEs operating within these sub-sectors.
The event lasted approximately 4,5 hours through facilitation from ABCO’s staff and active engagement of LAC's participants. In the end, all tasks set by the agenda were successfully accomplished and recommendations of the LAC were collected for the future use for the Central Advisory Council (CAC). Additionally, attending LAC members all agreed to sign a special Memorandum stating their organizations’ willingness to cooperate with the DCFTA project and each other within the given format of the LAC. During the event, participants also nominated 2 persons from among their midst (one representing SME sector and one CSO sector) as delegates representing the region of Samegrelo and ZemoSvaneti in the CAC to be held in Tbilisi.
