The Georgian government has hired Hill+Knowlton Strategies, a New York-based public relations firm, for promoting increased trade between the United States and Georgia, reports civil.ge. The contract between the Government of Georgia and Hill+Knowlton Strategies was signed by the Georgian Minister of Economy, Giorgi Kobulia. The contract will cover a period of seven months and will cost the Georgian Government 750.000 US Dollars.

According to the agreement, Hill+Knowlton Strategies “will assist Georgia with its outreach to state and federal lawmakers, U.S. businesses, and U.S. audiences to raise awareness about the tremendous economic opportunities presented by the country of Georgia”. The company will also “underscore the need for the United States to expand its already close relationship with Georgia as a reliable ally” and will “help interested businesses to advocate for elevated U.S.-Georgia trade relations.” The mentioned outreach will take the form of meetings and printed as well as TV and digital advertisements.

Beside Hill+Knowlton Strategies, two other US-based companies are under contract of the government of Georgia for lobbying purposes in the United States. Chartwell Strategy Group, a firm based in Washington D.C., would be responsible for strengthening the bilateral relations between Georgia and the Unites States through outreach efforts and will also engage administration officials “on the need to support greater U.S. foreign direct investment (FDI) into Georgia and to grow bilateral trade relations’’. The government of Georgia would pay 780.000 US Dollars annually for the activities of the Chartwell Strategy Group.

The third lobbying company is StrateVarious LLC from Virginia. StrateVarious LLC will “survey the geopolitical landscape of the United States continuously, with the aim of alerting the client to both opportunities for and impediments to attaching Georgian objectives to articulated U.S. interests and policies.” The company will also prepare messaging for Georgia’s principals, including for public addresses by the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, and the Ambassador to the United States. The lobbying company will also “identify themes that resonate most strongly with the U.S. Presidential administration” and “explore how these themes can be effectively articulated and delivered to diverse consumers,” such as “policy elites, Congress, media, think tanks, business organizations, and foreign governments”. For the services of StrateVarious LLC the government of Georgia is set to pay 180.000 US Dollars annually.

The United States of America and Georgia harbor close political and economic ties. According to the Congressional Research Service, the United States firmly support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia. The Countering Russian Influence in Europe and Eurasia Act of 2017 supports the “Stimson Doctrine” which does not recognize territorial changes effected by force, including the illegal invasions and occupations” of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali District (South Ossetia), and other territories occupied by Russia. In February 2019, the Georgia Support Act was reintroduced to the US Senate. The act would require the Secretary of State to submit reports to Congress on U.S. security assistance to Georgia, U.S.-Georgia cybersecurity cooperation, and a strategy to enhance Georgia’s capabilities to combat Russian disinformation campaigns and propaganda. The act would also require the President to impose sanctions on those responsible for serious human rights abuses in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali District (South Ossetia).

In terms of foreign aid, Georgia has been a leading recipient of US military and foreign aid in Europe and Eurasia. Georgia receives 60 million US dollars yearly on average in foreign aid from the US. In terms of military assistance, Georgia received 43 million US dollars of assistance in 2019. The two countries harbor close ties in the field of economic trade as well. In 2018, the United States was Georgia’s seventh-largest source of merchandise imports and eighth-largest destination for exports. The value of Georgia’s merchandise imports from the United States —mainly vehicles, industrial machinery, and meat—was $360 million in 2018. The value of merchandise exports to the United States —mainly iron and steel and inorganic chemicals—was $160 million in 2018.