On December 15, 12:00, five parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the implementation of the programme “SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AREA OF ARAGVI PROTECTED LANDSCAPE AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES” in the culture house of Dusheti. The memorandum connects development assistance from the Czech, Austrian and Slovak Republics with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, and Dusheti Municipality to contribute into sustainable development of Aragvi Protected Landscape (APL). To that end, the programme will:
- Improve the economic situation of the local population through development of tourism and agriculture
- Improve the quality of education and of health and social care services in the region, and
- Contribute into good governance and environment-friendly management of the region, including sustainable forest management.
The programme will span over the years 2018-2023, with an overall budget of 2.3 Million Euros. Slovak Development Assistance will cover 61% of funding and provide expertise, technical assistance and knowledge sharing to Aragvi APL, while the Austrian Assistance will contribute by 30 % of funding. The Slovak input constitutes specific equipment in amount of 9 % from above cited sum. On the Georgian side, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture and Dusheti City Hall will ensure the technical and infrastructural support of the programme. On the Georgian side, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture and Dusheti City Hall will ensure the technical and infrastructural support of the programme. On the Georgian side, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture and Dusheti City Hall will ensure the technical and infrastructural support of the programme.
The initial part of the programme has already started and several activities are implemented, such as training of the newly established Aragvi Protected Landscape Administration in sustainable management and biodiversity protection, grant competitions for local small businesses, managed by People in Need Georgia, and forest inventory and sustainable use initiative, that will contribute into improved management of the Aragvi APL.
H.E. Petr Mikyska, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Georgia, H.E. Thomas Mühlmann, Ambassador of Austria to Georgia, H.E. Pavel Vízdal, Ambassador of the Slovak Republic in Georgia, Mr. Levan Davitashvili, Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, and Mrs. Matsatso Narimanidze, Mayor of Dusheti signed the memorandum of understanding. The programme team and implementers presented the results of already implemented interventions.
“Czech Development cooperation initiated this programme as a modest intervention to support the sustainable development of Pshav-Khevsureti and Gudamakari area, based on our fruitful experience in Tusheti Protected Areas. Over the time, the small project grew into a multi-donor and cross-sectoral programme. Although the programme falls under the rural development priority area of the Slovak Development Assistance in Georgia, our intention is to achieve the synergies with our other interventions in the region such as development of primary healthcare sector, instruments such as local small scale projects (Aragvi LAG), and planned activities in social inclusion sector and Disaster Risk Reduction (training of firefighters).” – stated H.E. Petr Mikyska, Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Georgia.
