State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili introduced to the diplomatic corps accredited in Georgia and representatives of international organizations the financial instrument "Peace Fund for a Better Future" under the peace initiative “A Step to a Better Future”.

The aim of the Fund is to support the goals of the peace initiative, peace building, cooperation and improving the situation of the population. It will further facilitate the implementation of individual and partnership business projects along the dividing lines.

“It is with the help of partners and all stakeholders that this fund can make very important things in a peace process that is directed, apolitically, at helping people, developing contacts along the dividing lines and definitely encouraging common interest. The population on both sides of the dividing line needs support, and this is the best investment in peace today. Of course such steps are not directed against anyone. Once again, it serves to the well-being and peace of people. With this fund, we are creating another tool aimed at making our peace policy dynamic, proactive, not just responding to the challenges that have been going on for years. We are working to resolve the conflict peacefully. This is a necessary precondition for lasting peace and stability. But people in real time, in real space today, have very urgent needs. There is a heavy social and economic background in both regions, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali, and of course, our task is to take steps to help them improve their living conditions.

And let's do this without deciding what to do with political status, because, unfortunately, very often, in the peace process, this topic is used as a lock in humanitarian needs and humanitarian processes. We must not make people hostage to the most important political process, which will inevitably lead to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. We should try to help them with the flexibility available to them. That’s why we need this fund.

It is the foundation of peace, which primary serves for peace and for the better future of people. We have unprecedentedly high support from our international partners for our peace policy and peace initiatives. Now is the time for us to translate this political support materially so that it can deliver very significant results to thousands of people with little resources”, - said State Minister Ketevan Tsikhelashvili.

The fund was founded on August 12 and its founders, together with the Office of the State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, are the Partnership Fund and the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.