As part of his official visit to Paraguay, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Ilia Darchiashvili, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Paraguay, Ruben Ramirez Lezcano.

The ministers expressed their appreciation for the significant visit of the Georgian Foreign Minister to Paraguay, considering it a landmark event given that it marks the first such visit since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two nations. They expressed the hope that this visit will elevate the bilateral relations to a whole new level.

The head of Georgia"s Foreign Ministry highlighted the importance of fostering ties with Latin American and Caribbean nations, underlining the mutual benefit of developing friendly relations with Paraguay based on shared values and principles.

A notable focus was placed on the growing economic potential of both Georgia and Paraguay, as well as on such commonalities as economic openness, a favorable investment climate, and open economies. The Foreign Minister of Paraguay expressed his wish to enhance trade and economic collaboration with Georgia, given its strategic geographical position. Minister Lezcano also showed interest in learning from Georgia"s successful tourism initiatives.

Ilia Darchiashvili informed his colleague about the current situation in the region. The conversation touched on the security challenges, as well as on Georgia’s increased regional importance, which was further strengthened after the granting of candidate status to Georgia.

The ministers discussed collaboration across various sectors, including politics, and expressed satisfaction with the progress made in cultural exchanges and people-to-people relations. They emphasized the need to further enhance these activities. The meeting also highlighted the successful implementation of the visa-free travel agreement between the two countries starting in 2023, which is expected to boost visitor numbers.

Ilia Darchiashvili extended an invitation to his counterpart to visit Georgia. The meeting also acknowledged the positive outcomes of the countries" cooperation within international organizations.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Paraguay accepted the invitation of Ilia Darchiashvili to visit Georgia this year.

The ministers signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Paraguay in the field of diplomatic training. As the ministers noted, the memorandum is a good opportunity for countries to share diplomatic training programs and projects in different directions.