First Vice-President of the National Bank of Georgia Ekaterine Mikabadze participated in the Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA) roundtable, held in Thailand as part of the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

During the discussion, participants examined the impact of global developments on the region’s economies, the challenges associated with them, and emerging opportunities. Particular attention was paid to the effects of geopolitical tensions, developments in energy markets, and disruptions in the air transport sector on inflation, economic activity, and the external sector.

Speaking about Georgia’s experience, Ekaterine Mikabadze noted that the impact of global shocks on the country had recently been felt primarily through the inflation channel. According to her, the National Bank’s main task remains maintaining inflation expectations at a stable level and assessing the extent to which initial effects may be reflected in core inflation and services inflation.

“In response to these challenges, the National Bank of Georgia maintains a tight monetary policy and closely monitors the impact of global shocks on inflationary processes. Further monetary policy decisions are made based on an assessment of inflation dynamics and their potential impact on inflation expectations,” Ekaterine Mikabadze noted.

Discussing the strengthening of Georgia’s external position, participants highlighted the narrowing of the current account deficit and the growth of international reserves. In her remarks, Ekaterine Mikabadze emphasized that Georgia’s international reserves reached a record level of approximately USD 8.1 billion in September 2026, strengthening the country’s external buffers and reducing its vulnerability to external shocks.

The First Vice-President of the National Bank of Georgia underscored the resilience of the Georgian economy, noting that structural changes implemented in recent years, the expansion of production capacity, and the development of export-oriented, high-productivity sectors had strengthened economic resilience. At the same time, diversifying services exports across sectors and geographical markets helps mitigate the impact of global shocks.

“The issues discussed at the Caucasus and Central Asia roundtable held as part of the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank once again highlighted the importance of economic diversification, maintaining macroeconomic stability, and building strong external buffers amid global uncertainty,” Ekaterine Mikabadze stated.