On 20 November 2008, at Tbilisi Marriott Hotel, Prime Minister Grigol Mgaloblishvili and John Danilovich, the Executive Director of US Millennium Challenge Corporation, signed an amendment to the Contract made in 2005 by and between Millennium Challenge Corporation and the Government of Georgia. The amendment is intended to allocate 100 million US dollars in addition to the current program ($295,2 million), as a result of which the financial aid allocated by Millennium Challenge Corporation to Georgia will reach 395,3 million US dollars.
The additional financial aid will go towards infrastructure development project, namely to rehabilitate additional three sections of Samtskhe-Javakheti Road to connect the region to Turkey and Central Georgia. Besides, three municipal projects approved at an earlier stage will be implemented and the gas storage facility pre-construction projects will be prepared.
"At this point, we are planning to conduct a feasibility study and prepare the design of the gas storage facility. As a result of these works, we'll be able to identify the place that is more acceptable for the construction of the gas storage facility," the Prime Minister of Georgia said at the press conference with the media representatives. "The funds that we are going to receive from our donors are timed out for 3 years, that is, they are not concentrated on 2008 ands 2008 only. These funds will also cover 2010 and 2011," he added.
Since April 2006, Georgian Millennium Foundation founded by the Government of Georgia has been implementing the projects funded by US Millennium Challenge Corporation in such spheres as agribusiness, regional development, municipal infrastructure, roads and energy. All the five projects are in an active phase of implementation: construction/rehabilitation works are underway on Samtskhe-Javakheti strategic road and Poti and Kutaisi water supply systems. The first phase of the North-South Trunk Gas Pipeline Rehabilitation has been completed successfully, and now the works under the second phase are being performed. Three large investments have been made to boost small and medium businesses, and 113 farmers have received an agribusiness grant. As a result, some 1600 jobs will be grated in rural areas.
Press Center of the Chancellery of the Government of Georgia