Georgia withdraws candidate for UN tourism agency secretary-general and backs UAE’s bid

The Georgian government has withdrawn Zurab Pololikashvili’s candidacy for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Secretary-General, backing the UAE’s nominee instead. Pololikashvili, who served in this position for eight years, suggested the move was linked to his appointment of Tea Maisuradze, a former Georgian ambassador in Czech Republic, to his team.

Pololikashvili has led the UNWTO since January 2018, coinciding with part of the tenure of the Georgian Dream government. His second term was set to expire this year. Although he had already launched his campaign for a third term, the Georgian Dream government unexpectedly withdrew his candidacy.

The news of Georgia withdrawing Pololikashvili’s candidacy was first reported by the Spanish outlet The Diplomat on 14 May, which noted that the move could be part of ‘a covert agreement with the UAE to back the UAE’s candidate, Shaikha Al Nowais, for the position’.

The outlet mentioned that the move also appeared to be ‘a strategic alignment of Georgia with the Russian Federation’, adding that 'Secretary-General Pololikashvili led the entire process in suspending Russia’s membership in the organisation back in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine — a bold stance that set a precedent within the United Nations system’.

That same day, in a brief comment sent to Georgian TV Formula, Pololikashvili said that for three weeks he had been trying to reach Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze to understand ‘what my candidacy was traded for’, but that Kobakhidze was ‘hiding’ and avoiding any conversation with him.

‘I don’t represent the deep state or the global war party’, he added, referencing a common Georgian Dream conspiracy theory wielded against its opponents. He also used the term ‘deep rats’ to refer to those behind the decision to withdraw his candidacy — likely a play on the term ‘deep state’.

Later, in a more detailed interview, Pololikashvili spoke about a disagreement that had begun several months earlier between him and representatives of the ruling party, which was related to Pololikashvili’s decision to employ Maisuradze.

Maisuradze resigned from her position in December 2024, against the backdrop of Georgian Dream’s suspension of the country’s EU membership bid and the violent crackdown on pro-European demonstrations. She later openly criticised the ruling party’s policies, stating that their actions ‘crossed a line for our historic choice’ — Georgia’s EU membership bid.

According to Pololikashvili, Maisuradze was employed under a contract for just a few months to assist with his campaign for a third term, but this sparked strong dissatisfaction from Georgian Dream, resulting in a ‘categorical directive’ for her removal.

Pololikashvili mentioned he tried in vain to explain to government officials that he could not simply dismiss the employee, after which a ‘hysteria’ began, leading Maisuradze to decide to resign on her own.

On 16 May, Maisuradze responded to Pololikashvili’s withdrawal from the candidacy with a Facebook post, stating that ‘the [Georgian Dream] regime finds unacceptable anyone who serves Georgia’s national interests rather than Russia’s interests’.

‘Opposed state interests’

Government officials have not confirmed that Maisuradze’s employment was the official reason for Pololikashvili’s dismissal. However, in a 15 May interview with pro-government TV Imedi, Kobakhidze stated that Pololikashvili had shown a ‘reckless approach’ and ‘opposed state interests’, which led to a withdrawal of his candidacy.

‘I won’t elaborate further because he still holds the position until the end of the year’, Kobakhidze added.

He also cited as one of the reasons for the decision the dissatisfaction of ‘certain states’, which he said had allegedly expressed their displeasure over Georgia’s attempt to secure a third term for its candidate.

‘It is considered not particularly democratic to be nominated for such a position a third time’, Kobakhidze said.

Kobakhidze further confirmed that he indeed did not answer Pololikashvili’s calls, stating that the latter ‘did not deserve’ a response.

Besides what exactly Georgian Dream meant by its accusation that Pololikashvili was acting against state interests, it also remains unclear why the Georgian government chose to support the UAE’s candidacy.

In January of this year, during Kobakhidze’s visit to the UAE, a memorandum was signed under which the Emirati development company EMAAR Group plans to invest $6 billion in Georgia. According to the Georgian government, ‘multifunctional development projects’ are planned in Tbilisi and Gonio, with many details unspecified.

During the Imedi interview, Kobakhidze claimed that Pololikashvili’s withdrawal was not linked to support for the UAE candidate, and that the Georgian government decided to back the UAE’s candidate only after deciding to withdraw Pololikashvili’s nomination.

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OC MediaMikheil Gvadzabia