
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.

Brussels, 12–13 March 2025 – The fifth formal meeting of the European Social Policy Analysis Network (ESPAN) brought together national independent experts and senior officials from the European Commission to engage in a comprehensive review of ongoing EU social policy priorities. In his capacity as National Coordinator of ESPAN and Lead Economist at the ISET Policy Institute, Dr. Davit Keshelava represented Georgia at the meeting.

According to GeoStat’s preliminary estimates in the fourth quarter of 2024, Georgia’s nominal GDP reached GEL 25,309.6 million, with a year-over-year real GDP growth of 8.3% and a GDP deflator change of 4.0%. The economic expansion was largely driven by strong growth in several key sectors. The most notable increases were observed in Education (+36.2%), Information and communication (+29.7%), Human health and social work activities (23.6%), Mining and quarrying (22.5%).

Today Georgia is facing an increasing risk of brain drain. In recent years, Georgia has been experiencing a brain drain, with an increasing number of skilled professionals, young workers, and students leaving the country in search of better economic opportunities and stability. Since independence, the outmigration of Georgians has been mostly driven by economic factors – jobs, higher wages, better working conditions, and career advancement opportunities abroad.

This policy brief examines the role of business confidence as a predictor of economic development. It focuses on the impact of recent political instability and economic uncertainty, drawing insights from both Georgian data and international experience.