
On October 16, a new initiative “Trade Ready” - was launched in Georgia, aiming to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to improve their competitiveness and results on international markets. PMCG, as a partner to leading DAI Europe, will work under this EBRD initiative, funded by the European Union.
The project team will conduct a series of trainings and advisory services for the staff of partner banks and develop tailored capacity-building measures. Moreover, it will assist them in developing and testing new financial products, tailored to support SMEs to facilitate exports. At the same time, the team will assist the SMEs by providing necessary trainings on international trade and on the ways of incorporating know-how in their international operations.
Aleksi Aleksishvili, CEO and Chairman at PMCG, moderated the launching event. Representatives of the public and private sectors discussed current challenges and opportunities for local SMEs and the ways in which “Trade Ready” will contribute to meeting their needs effectively. The event was opened by Bruno Balvanera, Director for the Caucasus at EBRD; Dominik Papenheim, Programme Officer, Private Sector Development at EU Delegation to Georgia; and Mikheil Khidureli, Director at Produce in Georgia all of whom highlighted the importance of the initiative.
According to the recently published Global Competitiveness Report 2017-2018 by the World Economic Forum, Georgian businesses named a small market and a lack of innovation as their biggest challenges.
“Trade Ready” is focused on addressing the challenges faced by many Georgian companies when they try to integrate into international trade flows. Indeed, the initiative offers trade finance training and trade-related business advice for SMEs, networking opportunities with local banks and other institutions, as well as policy dialogue to facilitate improvements in the regulatory environment.
While banks can expect to attract new clients with the introduction of new trade finance products, and businesses will benefit from better access to finance and the chance to expand into international markets.
On September 9, we presented the findings of the research entitled “Investment and Export Promotion via Diagonal Cumulation between Georgia, Türkiye, and the European Union” at a forum organized by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia with the support of the USAID Economic Security Program, the EU, and GIZ.
We recently started working on a new project entitled “Communal Infrastructure for Environment and Tourism Improvement - Lot 2: Accompanying Measures,” aimed at improving the living conditions of people in four Georgian municipalities (Baghdati, Vani, Samtredia, and Kazbegi) through improving the supply of hygienically-sound drinking water and environmentally-safe sanitation infrastructure.
We recently completed a project entitled “Executive Roundtable (ERT) Session on Non-Profit Budgeting Process,” carried out by the USAID HICD Activity and implemented by the Kaizen, Tetra Tech company, aiming to facilitate collaboration, collective learning, and organizational development in the non-profit budgeting process with a cohort of selected organizations, including the Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA), the Georgian Institute of Politics (GIP), and the Georgian Association of Social Workers (GASW).
On September 19-23, the International Consortium on Governmental Financial Management (ICGFM) is hosting the 2022 International Conference at the University Club of Washington DC, offering the first opportunity in over two years for the global PFM community to gather in-person to network and connect with leading professionals and colleagues from across the world, in a unique and distinguished setting.
On July 28, PMCG supported a workshop organized by the EU and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia as part of the project “Support to Environmental Protection and Fight Against Climate Change in Georgia.”
In May 2026, hotel price index in Georgia increased by 11.8% MoM, with the largest increase observed in Kvemo Kartli, Adjara, and Tbilisi compared to previous month. In May 2026, hotel price index in Georgia increased by 8.7% YoY, with the largest increase in Adjara, Guria, and Kakheti. The average price of a room ranged from 121 GEL to 482 GEL in May 2026.
In April 2026, the number of salaried employees reached 1,012,141, increasing by 2.1% year-over-year. In April 2026, vacancies published on jobs.ge decreased by 5.2% year-over-year. Within this, vacancies in sales and procurement increased by 5.7%, while vacancies in IT and programming decreased by 17%. In Q1 2026, compared to Q4 2025, the efficiency of the labor market decreased, as the seasonally adjusted job openings rate remained unchanged, while the unemployment rate increased.
In 2025, Georgia’s economy grew by 7.5% in real terms, moderating from 9.7% growth in 2024. Economic expansion was driven mainly by ICT, education, and transport services on the supply side, alongside strong private consumption on the demand side. Economic activity remained robust at the beginning of 2026, with real GDP growth reaching 9.1% year-over-year (YoY) in Q1 2026. Issue 10 of the Macro Overview examines key aspects of Georgia’s economy and beyond, including: Economic Growth; Business Climate; Key Macroeconomic Indicators; Labor Market; External Sector; Global Economic Trends.
The Business Association of Georgia (BAG) Index is a joint product of the Business Association of Georgia, PMC Research Center, and the ifo Institute for Economic Research. The BAG Index summarizes the BAG Business Climate, BAG Employment Barometer, and BAG Investment Environment, which are calculated according to the assessments of the top managers of BAG member businesses and companies in their corporate group. BAG and PMC Research Center publish the BAG Index on a quarterly basis from Q4 2019.
In March 2026, the number of persons receiving a monthly salary reached 1,006,550, representing a 4.5% increase compared with March 2025. In March 2026, the total number of vacancies published on Jobs.ge increased by 6.3% compared with February 2026 and by 10.1% compared with March 2025. In the IT and programming category, the number of vacancies decreased by 22.3% compared with February 2026 and by 12.7% compared with March 2025.
The Country Energy Outlook series provides a comprehensive analysis of energy sectors across key countries, examining their structure, performance, and transition pathways within the evolving global energy landscape. The series aims to deliver concise, data-driven insights into how different economies balance energy security, economic growth, and decarbonization. The first paper in this series focuses on Kazakhstan – Central Asia’s leading energy producer and a major global supplier of oil, gas, coal, and uranium. It explores the country’s energy sector from its historical foundations to its current dynamics and future transformation. While fossil fuels remain central to Kazakhstan’s economy, the report highlights ongoing efforts to diversify the energy mix through natural gas expansion, renewable energy development, and potential nuclear capacity, all within the context of its 2060 carbon neutrality goal. It also assesses the structural and geopolitical challenges that will influence the country’s transition trajectory. Main Findings Fossil fuel dominance creates both strength and risk: Coal accounts for around 70% of electricity generation, while oil and gas exports drive economic performance but expose Kazakhstan to global decarbonization pressures. Geopolitical and export dependencies are significant: Reliance on Russian transit routes remains a key vulnerability, prompting efforts to diversify export corridors toward Europe and Asia. Renewable energy expansion remains limited: Despite growth, renewables contributed only 5.9% of electricity generation in 2023, constrained by grid capacity and policy inconsistencies. Structural reforms are critical for transition: Addressing subsidies, regulatory uncertainty, and aging infrastructure is essential to attract investment and meet climate targets.
In February 2026, the number of persons receiving a salary increased by 10.6% month-over-month and by 3.6% year-over-year. In February 2026, vacancies published on Jobs.ge decreased by 0.5% month-over-month but increased by 14.2% year-over-year. From December 2025 to February 2026, the sales and procurement category contributed the most to the year-over-year increase in vacancies.
In January 2026, the number of salaried employees increased by 2.8% year-over-year and reached 904,967. In January 2026, vacancies published on jobs.ge increased by 4.6% year-over-year. Within this, sales and procurement vacancies increased by 13.4% year-over-year, while IT and programming vacancies decreased by 1.2%. In Q4 2025, compared to Q3 2025, the efficiency of the labor market slightly improved, as the seasonally adjusted job opening rate marginally rose and the unemployment rate decreased.
The Business Association of Georgia (BAG) Index is a joint product of the Business Association of Georgia, PMC Research Center, and the ifo Institute for Economic Research. The BAG Index summarizes the BAG Business Climate, BAG Employment Barometer, and BAG Investment Environment, which are calculated according to the assessments of the top managers of BAG member businesses and companies in their corporate group. BAG and PMC Research Center publish the BAG Index on a quarterly basis from Q4 2019.
In January 2026, hotel price index in Georgia decreased by 0.8% MoM, with the largest decrease observed in Tbilisi, Samtskhe-Javakheti and Racha compared to previous month. In January 2026, hotel price index in Georgia increased by 8.9% YoY, with the largest increase in Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli, and Adjara. The average price of a room ranged from 107 GEL to 416 GEL in January 2026.