Since the Rose Revolution, pro-Western Georgian politicians strive to lead their country into the apparent safe haven of the NATO defense collective. So far membership seems far off, causing disappointment among many Georgians and affirming those who preferred less integration in the Western geopolitical bloc. The continuing debate as to whether or not Georgia should assume full membership in the alliance may be obfuscating the reality that the present relationship with the alliance is the most ideal for Georgia.

On July 1, 2015, the Stakeholders’ Forum on the Tea Sector took place in Kutaisi. This was a first event in a series of dialogues about agriculture and rural development in Georgia organized by the ISET Policy Institute in partnership with CARE International in the Caucasus, the Regional Development Association, and the Georgian Farmers Association.

On May 20-22, 2015 Lasha Labadze, Deputy Director of ISET Policy Institute attended the Third Global Think Tank Summit in Manila, Philippines. The Summit was co-hosted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the ADB Institute, and the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program of the University of Pennsylvania. The general topic of the summit was Inclusive Knowledge Partnerships for Development and it comprised panel discussions on best practices and innovative knowledge partnerships.

In December 2014 ISET-PI has been awarded a 5-year grant by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) providing the Institute with the opportunity to transform itself into the premier economic policy think-tank in the South Caucasus.

ISET is proud to announce that it has officially been accepted as a member of the International Chamber of Commerce of Georgia (ICC). In addition to ISET’s membership, Eric Livny, ISET’s Director, has been invited by the ICC Executive Board to establish and chair a new committee on economic policy at ICC.