An economic overview session jointly organized by the National Bank of Georgia (NBG) and Visa, an international payment network, was held at the NBG. The meeting brought together representatives from the public and private sectors, economists, and market experts. Participants discussed global and regional macroeconomic developments, consumer spending trends, and the development prospects of the Georgian market.

Ekaterine Galdava, Vice Governor of the National Bank of Georgia, addressed the participants. She highlighted the significance of the long-standing partnership with Visa and noted that cooperation with international payment systems plays a crucial role in advancing Georgia's payment ecosystem.

"International card schemes maintain strong positions in the Georgian market and play an integral role in the continuous development of the country's payment ecosystem. We highly value our cooperation with Visa and the company's continued involvement in the development of Georgia's financial and payment ecosystem," stated Ekaterine Galdava. The Vice Governor identified information and knowledge sharing as one of the key areas of cooperation. Visa provides the NBG with statistical data on Georgia's payments market, which supports the analysis and assessment of current market trends.

Diana Kiguradze, Visa Regional Manager for the Caucasus and Moldova, also addressed the participants. She noted that Visa's global network provides unique opportunities to monitor and analyze changes in consumer behavior, spending patterns, and travel habits across different markets. "The primary value lies in data and the insights derived from its analysis. This allows us to examine global trends in the context of the local market and gain a deeper understanding of ongoing changes in Georgia," stated Diana Kiguradze.

The session's keynote speaker was Mohamed Bardastani, Principal Economist for Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA) at Visa. He presented the global and regional economic outlooks, consumer spending dynamics, and Georgia's strong position compared with regional markets and economies with similar characteristics. "Georgia's economic outlook must be examined within the broader context of regional and global developments. Rapid advances in commerce and technology are transforming consumer behavior and expectations, creating new market dynamics and opportunities. Comparing Georgia with regional peers and economies with similar characteristics helps us better assess where we stand today and identify the key factors that could shape the country's future economic development," remarked Mohamed Bardastani.

The National Bank of Georgia continues to strengthen its cooperation with international partners. Meetings of this kind facilitate the exchange of international experience and expertise, support the analysis of global and regional economic trends, contribute to the development of the payments market, and promote the implementation of initiatives focused on consumer interests.