On March 14-15, delegation of Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, consisting of Ms. Barbara Jaggi, Deputy Head of Division Eurasia, and Mr. Jonathan Rezzonico, Regional Advisor Environment and Climate Change visited Guria region of western Georgia and held meetings with local government officials as well as returned migrants who have established multi-profile group businesses, producing building blocks, concrete decorative fences, exterior paving slabs and decorative concrete outdoor planters. The delegation was accompanied by IOM Georgia Chief of Mission, Ms. Sanja Celebic Lukovac and IOM Georgia National Programme Officer, Ms. Natia Kvitsiani.

The delegation also met with the 1st Deputy Mayor of Ozurgeti Mr. Giorgi Ghurchumelidze on 15 March and discussed the reintegration at the local municipal level and the role of the municipality in the process of sustainable reintegration. Deputy Mayor thanked SDC for supporting the pilot initiative and thanked IOM for supporting its implementation in the Ozurgeti Municipality. He further reiterated the importance of such multidimensional approach to reintegration and particularly the establishment of the Service Hub at the Municipality to provide information and counselling to the local community members on various available socio-economic and psychosocial programmes and services.  

The visit concluded with a meeting with the Ambassador of Switzerland to Georgia.

The activity was held under the Sustainable Reintegration and Community Revitalization, Pilot initiative in the Communities of Return – Guria implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).