First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Nino Tandilashvili, and the Deputy Minister, Giorgi Tskrialashvili, met with Elena Kazda, Executive Director of the Czech company LEP Trading sro, and Sophia Sturua, Director of the St. Ilia Martali (the Righteous) Foundation.

During the meeting, the Ministry, the company, and the Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate on forest restoration in Georgia and climate change.

The First Deputy Minister, the company’s Executive Director, and the Foundation’s Director signed the Memorandum.

“Forest restoration in Georgia is one of the key priorities of the country's environmental policy. I am pleased that, together with our partners, we are embarking on a new stage of cooperation. The signed Memorandum provides a basis for pooling our capacities and resources. We aim to translate this cooperation into concrete, results-oriented projects that will contribute to the restoration of Georgia's forests, strengthen ecosystem resilience and help address environmental challenges associated with climate change”, - said Nino Tandilashvili.

Giorgi Tskrialashvili emphasized the importance of considering the specific characteristics of forest ecosystems and ensuring long-term outcomes in the planning and implementation of forest restoration measures: “Forest restoration plays a crucial role in the sustainable management of forest resources. Accordingly, restoration efforts should be based on ecological principles, site-specific needs, and a long-term vision. Our objective is to support the improvement of forest ecosystems and the preservation and enhancement of their ecological functions. Achieving this goal requires engagement of government institutions, the private sector, and international partners. The signing of this Memorandum is an important step in creating new opportunities for cooperation”.

Elena Kazda and Sophia Sturua highlighted the importance of international and local partnerships in restoring Georgia's forests. They noted that the signing of the Memorandum creates an opportunity for the parties to combine their expertise and resources to support the implementation of environmental initiatives and achieve their shared objectives.