Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has paid a working visit to the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Talks that had been going on for a year and a half ended successfully during the president's visit: Dubai World will enter the Georgian market. This conglomerate of large construction, shipping, and finance companies founded with state capital will invest nearly one billion dollars in Georgia. 
While there, President Saakashvili met the co-author of the "Dubai economic miracle", Prime Minister Shayk Muhammad Bin-Rashid Bin-Sa'id Al Maktum. Saakashvili noted that the shayks of the United Arab Emirates said that Georgia's geopolitical location made it an attractive place to do business. "The United Arab Emirates is a country which quickly achieved energy independence and became one of the world's most diversified countries in this respect. Your experience gives us hope that Georgia will soon manage to achieve the same success," Saakashvili said. 

The companies Jafza and Dubai Port, which are part of Dubai world, held a presentation for the Georgian president. Shayk Muhammad Bin-Rashid Bin-Sa'id Al Maktum gave his guest a tour of the chief attributes of the free economic zone there - the airport and harbour - in his own private helicopter. Later Saakashvili traveled to the emirate of Ra's al-Khaymah, where the local shayk invited him into his home and gave him a golden sword as a reminder of his visit. "I am sure that Arab capital will play a significant role in the plan for Georgia's development and create an atmosphere attractive for tourists," Saakashvili said.

Press Office
of the President of Georgia