PROJECT SUMMARY
The CIIP project will aid the government of Georgia to provide critical resources necessary to develop and launch implementation of the Georgia’s competitiveness agenda. It also aims to support the government in establishing effective PPD (public-private dialogue) mechanisms through Competitiveness and ICT and innovation council and the respective working groups co-chaired by the industry-champions and private sector stakeholders.
These working groups comprised of private and public sector leaders, academia and think tanks will develop the detailed road maps in support of the country’s 2020 Development Strategy and competitiveness reform agenda, and produce selected industries strategies. These sectoral strategies will have with executable actions with respect to policies, institutions and instruments to enhance Georgia’s competitiveness and growth.
Additionally, the project will support the implementation of the reform process as outlined below through implementation of special tools and mechanisms to support innovation and technological absorption in selected industries and SMEs.
It is expected that the government, through the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development (MOESD) and the Competitiveness Council working groups/taskforces will focus on the following industries and topics (to be debated and discussed through the PPD engagement):

Objective: To facilitate an improvement in the competitiveness of Georgian firms in high value manufacturing industries such as metal processing, machinery, electronics and automotive which are also among the largest and densest industrial clusters.
ICT & business services
Objective: development of ICT and business services is crucially important to enhance sophistication and competitiveness of Georgian’s existing exports in high growth sectors, as well as increase the share of exports and employment for Georgia in ICT/business services thus leveraging the country’s large pool of highly educated, English speaking and underemployed workers, especially among younger (graduates) and middle-age population.
Agribusiness
Objective: To support the upgrading and value chain scaling up, and improve access to finance and investments for the agro-processing industry

Objective: To rationalize government support and ensure its effective engagement in close support and cooperation with the private sector while ensuring it is not crowded out through special programs, or institutions (Georgian Development and Export Promotion Agency, reform of Partnership Fund, development of Innovation Fund and design of SME support and innovation programs, export promotion activities and programs, improving access to finance etc).
The project will include the following components:


