A delegation from the National Bank of Georgia (NBG) visited the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan, where NBG Governor Natia Turnava met with Taleh Kazimov, Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The discussions focused on strengthening regional cooperation in monetary policy and central banking. The parties exchanged views on the regional macroeconomic environment, the financial sector, and the impact of geopolitical factors on monetary policy.

Natia Turnava highlighted Georgia’s strong macroeconomic outlook, emphasizing that the country’s economy remains resilient to external shocks. Inflation is currently below the target rate, and economic growth remains robust. She attributed price stability to the NBG’s prudent monetary policy, which involved timely tightening followed by a gradual easing. Turnava also noted that inflation is expected to remain below target in the coming months. From a financial stability perspective, she underscored the solid profitability of the Georgian banking sector and the importance of business loans in driving sound credit growth.

A key topic of discussion was enhancing financial services between Georgia and Azerbaijan, particularly by improving the efficiency of cross-border payments. The NBG is currently modernizing its payment infrastructure to make transactions faster and more efficient. Two major projects are underway: upgrading the RTGS system and introducing an instant payment system. Both parties agreed to explore further collaboration in the payments sector to reduce transaction costs and enhance efficiency.

The meeting also addressed regional cooperation in fintech. Both Georgia and Azerbaijan have made significant progress in financial innovation in recent years. Strengthening ties between the central banks will help advance the development of financial services to a new level in both countries.

Following the discussions, Natia Turnava and Taleh Kazimov signed a Memorandum of Cooperation.

The meeting at the Central Bank of Azerbaijan was also attended by Georgia’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Zurab Pataradze, along with senior NBG officials: Tamta Sopromadze, Head of the Macroeconomics and Statistics Department; Vakhtang Sikharulishvili, Head of the Banking Supervision Department; Natalia Chkoidze, Head of the Payment Systems Department; and Giorgi Edilashvili, Head of the International Relations Department.