The International School of Economics at Tbilisi State University has signed a contract with the Asian Development Bank to contribute to a study on: “Good Jobs for Inclusive Growth in Central and West Asia”. Since obtaining independence in the early 1990s, Central and West Asian countries have made noticeable progress. However, recent economic disruptions, mainly caused by the structural decline in energy prices and the protracted devaluation of currencies in the region, are affecting jobs, remittances, and people’s general well-being.

ISET Policy Institute is the only member think tank of Asian Think Tanks Network from Georgia. The network involves cooperation among key think tanks in Asia and the Pacific to share knowledge on development experiences and policy lessons. Its members are Asian think tanks working on sustainable development and inclusive growth.

The aim of the project was developing a medium-term debt management strategy (MTDS) and looking into institutional arrangements, debt monitoring and forecasting practices, analytical capacity in external and domestic borrowing, preliminary fiscal transparency evaluation, and improve communication with domestic stakeholders in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance's Public Debt and External Financing Department (PDEFD) and with other relevant stakeholders.

The purpose of this event was to discuss the role of energy and water supply sectors for job creation and poverty reduction, as well as suggest improvements to existing policies affecting access to, and efficient use of, scarce resources. Georgia, just like other countries of the South Caucasus region, is characterized with significant energy poverty.

The purpose of this event was to have a discussion about the potential of the tourism sector to improve well-being and reduce poverty in rural areas of Georgia, as well to discuss the contribution the development of large hotels in peripheral touristic destinations can make to inclusive growth in local communities. The follow up activity of this dialogue was an excursion to the Kazbegi Municipality on July 19.