Recently, GeoStat has released its preliminary estimate of real GDP growth for the third quarter of 2019. The Q3 growth rate now stands at 5.7%, which is 1.4% below ISET-PI’s last forecasted value. As a result, the estimated real GDP growth for the first nine months of 2019 amounted to 5.0%.

This paper is the first to create a comprehensive mapping of the Global and Regional Value Chain participation for Georgia and other CAREC region countries using the Eora Multi-Regional Input-Output Model (MRIO). The paper was written with support from the CAREC Think Tank Network Research Grant.

On November 13, the Agricultural Policy Research Center at ISET-PI presented the main results of the Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) of the draft law of Georgia on soil protection at a stakeholder workshop held at the conference hall of the Environmental Education and Information Center (EEIC) of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia (MEPA).

On the 13th of November, ISET was visited by Joey Cherdarchuk of Darkhorse Analytics, a Canadian company specializing in data science and information design. The firm is dedicated to helping organizations and individuals present their data in a clear and understandable way; in an often humorous and highly informative workshop, Mr. Cherdarchuk demonstrated how failures in data presentation can be misleading (wilfully or otherwise) and inaccurate.

On November 8, ISET was visited by Mr. Juha Kahkonen, Deputy Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department of the IMF, who gave a presentation on the fact that global trade tensions and slowing growth amongst key trading partners are affecting the Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA) region.