Local and regional authorities in the Black Sea and Caucasus region need extra support to cope with war and instability in the region, local and regional leaders said on Thursday 7 September at the meeting of the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP).
During this meeting in Batumi, Georgia, two reports were adopted aimed at supporting economic and political reforms in the Eastern Partnership and promoting development and stability in the region.
The meeting brought together political leaders from the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and the Eastern Partnership countries at a time when the war in Ukraine has transformed the geopolitics of the region and possible EU enlargement is high on the political agenda.
Next month, the European Commission will present its annual reports on the progress made by countries seeking to join the EU, including Ukraine and Moldova, which have been officially recognised as EU candidate countries in 2022, and Georgia, which has been offered the same “European perspective” if it carries out further reforms. Josep Borrell made his first visit to Georgia as the Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs (see other news). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)