The "Local Economic Development (LED) in Georgia" project, implemented by a consortium led by HELVETAS and commissioned by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), aims to strengthen Georgian actors’ involvement in LED. Moreover, it incorporates an overarching objective “to contribute to increasing employment and income of rural women and men in their localities by enhancing effective collaboration among local and national actors (public, private, civil society) for the creation of new economic opportunities.”

As part of the project’s inception, ISET Policy Institute, in collaboration with WINS Global Consult, has been working on the development of a comprehensive Political Economy Analysis (PEA) to understand the interactions between political and economic processes specific to the Georgian context, and to identify opportunities and constraints on successful local economic development. The PEA will assess formal and informal frameworks and institutions for coordinating LED; analyze the roles and interests of key local and national actors; examine political and economic processes and their impact on LED; evaluate structural and external factors affecting LED; and provide recommendations for project interventions. The findings of the PEA will consequently inform the project’s intervention strategy and contribute to the ultimate Project Document. Given its focus on digital technologies, the PEA will also explore how digitalization aligns with Georgia’s agenda and strategy, and how the media can engage local populations in discussions on LED. 

By conducting a thorough analysis, the project aims to refine its intervention approach and effectively support local economic development in Georgia.