Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia

Under the frame of the official visit to Montevideo, the capital of the Republic of Uruguay, the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Levan Davitashvili held a meeting with Uruguay's Minister of Housing, Territorial Planning and Environment, Eneida de León. The issues related to the existing environmental conditions in Georgia, as well as implementation of environmental policy in practice- has been highlighted by Levan Davitashvili at the meeting.
Levan Davitashvili introduced his Counterpart Minister with the positive results and future plans under the frame of the governmental reform -merging two Agencies: Ministry of Environmental  Protection and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Agriculture. The High Rank Officials of Uruguay stressed, that they are well aware about main directions of Georgia's biodiversity, ecosystems, protected areas and environmental policies.
The sides expressed their readiness to share experience and best practice in protected area management. The Uruguay side asked Georgian Delegation to share their experience regarding national biodiversity inventory and management of wetland areas. As Enida de León noted, Uruguay has a private protected area that creates a couple of problems in terms of biodiversity conservation and recreation.
According to Levan Davitashvili, Georgian side is ready to share their experience on management of protected areas.
"Protected areas take up "10% of the territory of Georgia. Moreover, fulfillment of obligations taken under the Vienna Convention, which envisages economic benefits and improvement of protected areas in accordance with the principles of biodiversity conservation and recreation is of utmost importance for us. Tourism has a rising trend in Georgia, it is important to support biodiversity, ecosystems in the country and at the same time improve health and well being of population "said Levan Davitashvili.
The meeting was held at the Ministry of Housing, Territorial Planning and Environment. The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Republic of Argentina, accredited in the Republic of Chile, the Republic of Paraguay, Uruguay Eastern Republic, the Republic of Ecuador and the multinational state of Bolivia, Irakli Khurashvili and the Head of National Food agency Zurab Chekurashvili attended the meeting together with the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia.