Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia met with the US Public Health Service’s Regional Director for Central Asia, Charles Vitek.
In the course of the meeting, the parties evaluated the five-year successful partnership between the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and expressed readiness to deepen existing cooperation in the future as well.
Mr. Khanishvili thanked the representatives of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for implementing the Draft Cooperation Agreement in Georgia " Global Protection and Improvement of Public Health ‘’ , which translated into a number of successful programs, encompassing food safety, plant protection and veterinary fields, being implemented in the country.
" We have built a successful relationship with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which fostered the development of the State Laboratory of Agriculture of Georgia and National Food Agency. As part of the project, the re-equipment, provision of agricultural machinery and equipment for both agencies was undertaken. The respective cooperation has led to the increase of export of various products from Georgia exceeding USD 1,100,000 in the incumbent year. I believe, that continuation of existing project will further facilitate the enhancement of the National Food Agency, Agricultural Scientific Research Center and State Laboratory of Agriculture", - stated Khanishvili.
Under the existing cooperation agreement, Charles Vitek got familiar with the experience gained by the Ministry in the relevant fields, he also received information about challenges facing the country in the laboratory re-equipment, veterinary and food safety fields.
The representatives of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and relevant agencies within the Ministry system attended the meeting.
