This quarterly report provides an analysis of economic trends, as well as denoting the challenges and opportunities (in local, regional, and global contexts) in the selected value chains within six sectors to improve evidence-based decision-making by providing quality information and analytics. These specific sectors are tourism, creative industries, light manufacturing, shared intellectual services, waste management, and recycling, along with cross-cutting sectors.

The Water Policy Outlook study aimed to compare and contrast existing policy frameworks against the long-term strategic plan and vision for the water sector by respective governments. The outlooks aimed to map the future policy challenges and policy reform opportunities required to achieve these long-term strategic objectives.

The Residential Sales Price Index (SPI) for Tbilisi increased moderately in April and May of 2021, however it decreased slightly in June and amounted to 114.4 index points (equaling 100 in the base period of January 2019). Compared to the second quarter of 2020, the SPI showed an increase in Q2 2021 – with the largest change of 7.9% (YoY) in June 2021.

This study attempts to identify the barriers youth entrepreneurship in Georgia faces and proposes interventions, which could be led by relevant actors within the ecosystem, to overcome the challenges. Following Isenberg’s Model of Entrepreneurship (2010) as the main analysis framework, we address the role of the current Policy, Finance, Culture, Supports, Human Capital, and Markets in the development of the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Georgia.

For the third quarter of 2021, business confidence in Georgia improved significantly (by 34.7 index points) and reached 36.4. The increase in business confidence is observed in all sectors and is driven by optimistic future expectations and improved past performance in light of economic recovery and relaxed pandemic restrictions.