"We live in a turbulent era" - Gharibashvili addresses the Brussels Forum

We live in a turbulent era, when the special challenges facing the international order based on the principles of international law and multilateral engagement are obvious - with these words, Prime Minister Gharibashvili began his address at the Brussels Forum.

Occupation, hybrid threats, cyberattacks, information wars, and "growing attacks of authoritarianism on democracy" were the main topics the Prime Minister focused on.

"Resisting and defending oneself against these challenges requires awareness, unity, and consistent, thoughtful, and creative approaches," Gharibashvili said.

He also touched upon the NATO summit that opened in Brussels today:

It is noteworthy that in our conversation, the North Atlantic Alliance Summit is being held in Brussels, focusing on hybrid threats and sustainability issues, as the Alliance has the ability to adapt and is best equipped to mobilize the knowledge and resources needed to combat these threats.

Long before the hybrid threats became apparent in the conversations of our international partners and academia, Georgia itself went through its destructive effects. Georgia has been experiencing economic, energy and trade blockades, cyber-attacks, information wars and other unconventional or traditional wars since independence.

In the conditions of Russia's occupation of 20 percent of Georgia's territories and the use of these territories as a testing ground for destructive policies, the mentioned hostile actions continue to this day.
It is noteworthy that not only my country, but also countries in the region, Europe and beyond have faced new security threats and are looking for ways to protect themselves. Thus, it is very important to unite like-minded states, share tools and experiences to increase sustainability, which has become a crucial concept not only militarily but also in a much broader sense, based on the principles of human rights, rule of law, good governance and market economy.

Even the strongest democracies in the West have a hard time coping with these new challenges. I am proud to say that Georgia has shown remarkable resilience in difficult times and has learned at least a little about overcoming them. Strengthening Georgia's democratic institutions, promoting economic development and modernization are among the important efforts we are making to be more resilient to external threats.
However, it is becoming clear that the complex essence of modern hybrid warfare requires joint efforts and the support of our partners.
In this context, it is important that the North Atlantic Alliance Summit in 2021 focus on the 2030 Summit Agenda, which will form the basis of the Alliance's new strategic concept. Issues such as capacity modernization, strengthening collective defense through increased readiness, developing sustainability goals across the Alliance, and supporting partner sustainability are key issues in the North Atlantic Alliance 2030 Summit documents. We also welcome the renewal of the Alliance Open Door Policy as one of the main recommendations of the document and hope that this policy will continue to be effective in the coming years.

Over the years, the North Atlantic Alliance has been actively investing and participating in sustainable development efforts in Georgia. We are ready to further deepen cooperation with the Alliance in this direction. This agenda is even more relevant for the aspirant Georgia, as we are preparing for the membership of the Alliance.

The more sustainable each like-minded partner and member is, the stronger the North Atlantic Alliance. This is the only way to win the battle for the value systems of freedom and peace-loving nations - Gharibashvili said