Prime Minister of Georgia opened a meeting of central bank governors from the region, organized by the National Bank of Georgia [NBG] and J.P. Morgan.

In his remarks, Irakli Kobakhidze underscored the importance of a meeting of this scale and spoke about the economic growth indicators and the dynamics of development of the financial sector in the country.

“Geopolitical tensions, shifts in trade and investment flows, volatility in financial markets and rapid technological change are reshaping the global economic landscape. For countries like Georgia, with open economies and strong regional and international ties, these developments further underscore the importance of maintaining a healthy economy and the ability to adapt to an increasingly complex environment.

Against this backdrop, Georgia has demonstrated strong economic resilience over the past five years and maintained steady growth. In 2021-2025, real GDP grew by an average of 9.3% annually, placing Georgia among the fastest-growing economies in the region and globally. Strong momentum continued in 2026, with economic growth reaching 7.9% in the first seven months of the year.

Importantly, one of the key drivers of this performance, alongside the improvement in Georgia's external balance, has been high-productivity sectors, including information and communication, financial services and transport.

Strong economic performance is underpinned by macroeconomic stability. Average inflation was maintained at 1.8% in 2023-2024. However, annual inflation reached 5.6% in August 2026, mainly due to external factors, specifically the increase in global oil prices resulting from the conflict in the Middle East. Georgia has significantly replenished its international reserves. Since October 2024, Georgia’s performance in this regard has doubled, reaching an all-time high”, - said the Head of Government.

He also spoke about the role of the financial sector in economic progress and the growing international recognition of Georgian financial institutions. Irakli Kobakhidze noted that the Government of Georgia continues to work on developing capital markets and creating an increasingly competitive environment for investment.

The NBG Governor also addressed the event. Natia Turnava stated that holding a meeting in this format would contribute to deepening regional dialogue and further developing cooperation among central banks.

“J.P. Morgan has already held meetings in this format on different continents and we are pleased to be hosting the first such event in our region. I hope this will lay the foundation for a new tradition, with other countries in the region hosting roundtables in the future. We are particularly pleased to welcome so many colleagues to Tbilisi, representing up to 15 central banks, development organizations and financial institutions. Meetings of this kind are valuable not only because they allow us to exchange views on pressing issues shaping the development of our economies, but also because they create opportunities for open dialogue, learning from one another and strengthening relations among our institutions. In today’s turbulent global economic environment, we are proud that Georgia's economy and financial sector have demonstrated remarkable resilience, stability and growth. Our international reserves have reached an all-time high. This has strengthened our ability to withstand external shocks and safeguard macroeconomic stability”, - said Natia Turnava.

The roundtable meeting was also attended by the representatives of J.P. Morgan, World Bank [WBG] and Asian Development Bank [ADB].