TBILISI - Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, and Under-Secretary General of the United Nations, visited Georgia on 16-18 February 2014 to participate in UNFPA’s Planning Meeting for the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region. Over 100 staff from UNFPA headquarters participated in the meeting to discuss the Fund’s priorities in the region for 2014.

The year 2014 marks the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Programme of Action by the landmark Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), which placed reproductive health and rights, gender equality and youth-related issues at the center of the development agenda. A comprehensive review is currently underway of how countries have implemented the Programme of Action, culminating in a Special Session of the UN General Assembly in September. The results of the ICPD Beyond 2014 review process will inform the post-2015 development agenda.

During his official visit, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin met the Prime Minister of Georgia, Mr. Irakli Garibashvili and the President of Georgia, Mr. Giorgi Margvelashvili, as well as top officials of partner ministries to discuss cooperation and reiterate UNFPA’s support to the Government of Georgia for implementing the ICPD Programme of Action.

The visit of the Executive Director was a significant event for UNFPA’s Georgia Country Office, as it celebrates 15 years of presence in Georgia in 2014. UNFPA’s support to the country within the framework of the second Country Programme (2011-2015) aims to support the fulfillment of the country’s international commitments, such as promotion of reproductive health and rights of the population, strengthening gender equality and combating gender-based violence, empowering youth and strengthening national capacities for generating reliable population data for informed policy-making and planning.