Livable Cities Investment Program

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Tbilisi, the capital city of Georgia, contributes 70% of the national GDP, with about half of the country's urban population concentrated in it. The city's urban population steadily increased from 47% to 51% of the country's total between 2007 and 2017, while cities in the regions of Kakheti and Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti experienced decline in their urban population during the same period. The reverse trend in regional cities highlights issues such as out-migration, unbalanced economic growth, limited employment opportunities and poor livability in these regions. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) undertook a National Urban Assessment (NUA) in 2015 that identified the need for balanced regional development to unlock the potential for inclusive economic growth through urban development by adopting multiple strategies, new initiatives, and innovative funding mechanisms at the national and regional level through integrated urban investment planning.