The Chairman of the Georgian Competition and Consumer Agency (GCCA), Irakli Lekvinadze, who serves as President of the 9th United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) International Conference on Competition and Consumer Protection, chaired the official closing session of the event.
The closing session examined priority areas in consumer protection policy, with a special emphasis on developments related to artificial intelligence. The high-level discussion featured contributions from Ricardo Salazar, President of the Consumer Protection Agency of El Salvador; Martina Derszniak, Director at the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection of Poland; Vimonrat Teriyapirom, Director of International Cooperation at the Office of Consumer Protection Board of Thailand; Helena Leurent, Director General of Consumers International; among other distinguished participants. Under Irakli Lekvinadze’s leadership, the session explored the role of artificial intelligence in shaping consumer outcomes, mechanisms for ensuring consumer protection in digital and e-commerce environments, and avenues for enhancing international cooperation in the field.
The 9th UNCTAD International Conference was held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 7 to 11 July 2025, and convened heads of competition and consumer protection authorities from over 100 countries, alongside representatives from the public and private sectors, civil society organizations, and leading international experts.
It is noteworthy that, for the first time in its history, Georgia participated in a UNCTAD conference in the capacity of President. The conference aimed to enhance global coordination in the areas of competition and consumer protection policy, support the development of approaches aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the implementation of international standards, and strengthen technical assistance for developing countries.
As part of the official delegation, Sergo Sanikidze, Head of the Consumer Rights Protection Department at the GCCA, also took part in the conference and participated in a high-level meetings and discussions.
