Kutaisi (Georgia), 8th September 2006


OPENING OF THE FIRST LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY IN THE CAUCASUS,

Kutaisi, 8th September 2006, Georgia

The Association of the Local Democracy Agencies (ALDA) opened its first office in the Caucasus, in Kutaisi, Georgia, on 8 September 2006.
This new Local Democracy Agency (LDA) will focus its work on the participation of citizens in the decision-making process, the strengthening local democracy and the promotion of human and minority rights.
The LDA will have, like the other 11 LDAs in South East Europe, a solid European and local partnership. The cities involved in the activities for the next three years are: Newport City Council (Wales, UK) lead partner, Monfalcone (Italy) and Nantes (France). At local level, the cities of Kutaisi (host city of the LDA) and Tbilisi (the Georgian capital), the National Association of Local Authorities (NALAG) and the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, and the Kutaisi – Newport International Association.support the LDA. It is very likely that other international and national partners will join the network of the Agency in the following months.
During the opening ceremony a memorandum of understanding was signed by all the partners which confirmes their will to work together to support democratic and peaceful values.
“We have a great expectations from this first LDA in the Caucasus. After years of big difficulties we are aware that the development has to go along with democracy and decentralization. We do think that the LDA can be a useful tool to move towards this direction” said the Mayor of Kutaisi, Mr Giga Chogovadze.
The work of the LDA, closely linked to the Congress of the Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, was highlighted by Mr Igor Gaon, Special Representative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to Georgia and former Mayor of a suburban area of Sarajevo. He described his experience with the LDA Prijedor in Bosnia and Herzegovina after the war: “In Prijedor, the LDA was our main partner for the return of more than 250.000 Muslim refugees. The LDA was a key player for the stabilisation and the development of the area.”
The Delegate in charge of the LDA in Kutaisi, Joseph Khakhaleishvili, expressed his will to create synergies among all the partners (civil society, local authorities, citizens) and to develop the resources of the territory, in particular with the Kutaisi – Newport International Association which has worked extensively to develop the twinning between Newport and Kutaisi since 1988.
The objectives of the LDA are: capacity building for local authorities and civil society, empowerment of young people and women.

Partners of the LDA in Georgia

Mr Giga Chogovadze, Mayor of Kutaisi and Mr Per Vinther, ALDA Vice President sign the memorandum of understanding