China is the largest bilateral creditor to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) presently. China’s lending mainly targets infrastructure, transport, energy, and mining sectors in developing countries that are of strategic importance to the Chinese government. Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia have observed the most substantial increases in borrowing. Chinese financing to LMICs is facilitated through state entities, offering concessional and non-concessional loans, with a significant portion of lending cloaked in confidentiality.

According to GeoStat’s preliminary estimates in the first quarter of 2024, Georgia’s nominal GDP reached GEL 18,913.2 million, with a year-over-year real GDP growth of 8.4% and a GDP deflator change of 3.1%. The growth was driven by significant increases in value-added across various sectors: Real estate activities rose by 18.8%, Education by 29.1%, Public administration and defence, including social security, by 13.0%, Construction by 10.3%, Information and communication by 12.2%, and Transportation and storage by 9.7%.

In May 2024, Georgian power plants generated 1,411 mln. kWh of electricity. This represents a 6% increase in the total generation compared to the previous year (in May 2023, the total generation was 1,325 mln. kWh). The rise in generation on a yearly basis comes from an increase in generation of hydropower plant by 7%, while the generation of thermal and wind plants decreased by 100% and 14%, respectively.

Geostat has published its preliminary estimate of real GDP growth for April 2024, which stands at 11.8%. In addition, the estimated growth for the first quarter of 2024 reached 7.8%.

In April 2024, Georgian power plants generated 1,085 mln. kWh of electricity. This represents a 13% decrease in the total generation compared to the previous year (in April 2023, the total generation was 1,249 mln. kWh). The fall in generation on a yearly basis comes from a decrease in generation of hydro, thermal and wind power plants by 12%, 25% and 10%, respectively.