On 2 May 2024, in connection with the Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank taking place in Tbilisi, Georgia, Acting Secretary-General, Ms. Atsuko Hirose, met with the Chairperson of the Georgian Bar Association, Mr. David Asatiani, in her capacity as the Goodwill Ambassador of the World Bank’s Law Societies’ Compact and Forum. 

The Compact and Forum was founded by the World Bank at the end of 2020 on the common understanding that lawyers could play a role in promoting and ensuring good development outcomes. The initiative seeks to amplify the voices of lawyers and bring them together around conversations on the rule of law and access to justice, by connecting the bar associations and law societies around the world.  Presently, there are about twenty bar associations and law societies globally which are the members of the Compact & Forum.

Mr. Asatiani indicated the interest of the Georgian Bar Association in joining the Compact and Forum, and Ms. Hirose expressed her support to facilitate their membership.