Economic development of the municipalities (outside capital) is one of the key sustainable development challenges in Georgia. The capital city of Tbilisi, while accounting for nearly 1/3 of the country’s population generates 53% of GDP and keeps expanding, whereas the municipalities, with few exceptions, are losing population and suffering from high incidence of poverty, unemployment, and slow and weak economic development.

On September 25, 2025, ISET hosted a panel discussion marking the 10-Year Anniversary of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The event was co-organized by ISET, Tbilisi State University (TSU) and the United Nations in Georgia.

Economic development of the municipalities (outside capital) is one of the key sustainable development challenges in Georgia. The capital city of Tbilisi, while accounting for nearly 1/3 of the country’s population generates 50% of GDP and keeps expanding, whereas the municipalities, with few exceptions, are losing population and suffering from high incidence of poverty, unemployment, and slow and weak economic development.

On April 4th, ISET Policy Institute hosted a public seminar with discussions centered around air pollution, poverty, and equity in Tbilisi. Led by Alan Fuchs and Sandra Baquie from the Poverty and Equity Global Practice at the World Bank, the public seminar titled 'Poverty and Distributional Consequences of Air Pollution in Tbilisi' provided a platform for in-depth exploration and dialogue on this pressing issue.

The EaP CSO program, funded by BMZ and implemented by GIZ, strengthens CSOs in EaP countries, focusing on institutional capacity, networking, and grant projects for sustainable local development.