On October 22, 2010, the Prime Minister Of Georgia, Nika Gilauri met Daniel W. Yohannes, Chief Executive Officer of Millennium Challenge Corporation.
After the meeting, Nika Gilauri declared at the news conference:
"At first, I'd like to thank Mr. Daniel W. Yohannes, for his arrival in Georgia and for the efforts made by him and his staff to support the Georgia.
As you remember, the project under MCC was begun 5 years ago. The first part consisted of 295 mln dollars, this is the grant. Then, 100 mln dollars was added to it and the project totaled 395 mln dollars.
Lots of important project were carried out under this grant in Georgia, in energy sector as well in road infrastructure, agricultural sector and for the development of small businesses. I'll provide for some examples: North-South gas main, Samtskhe-Javakjeti highway. Lots of sums were spent to develop the agricultural sector for supporting the farmers.
All the thereof served to make 3 000 working places. This isn't a few for Georgia. This is the huge support of U.S. Government in Georgia, carried out under MMC during the period and I want to extend my gratitude to Mr. Daniel W. Yohannes and all the people participating in the project thereof.
The project is coming to the end, only the road is to be completed. I want to note that it will be competed in several months and we'll have official opening of Samtskje-Javakjeti highway in November. Almost the total sum will be spent and we hope that the second project under MCC will be carried
out in the nearest future.
We talked about it, but the decision has not been made yet. The council of MMC will be gathered in December and the decision will be made.
Besides, I want to highlight the one thing- 30 mln dollars have been allocated as loans for private sector and which will be returned to the fund. The fund will be established under the Government of Georgia and will be jointly administered by the MMC and the government of Georgia. The fund will serve to the education sector-financing studying of Georgian students in Georgia or abroad, as well the exchange programs of lecturers and teachers. This will be the education fund which will serve to the education sector with 30mln dollars for the next 5-6-7 years.
Prime Minister's Press Service