U.S.-Georgian security and defense cooperation is the cornerstone of our strategic partnership. Today, Ambassador Degnan visited Georgia’s Davit Aghmashenebeli National Defense Academy (NDA) and met with Rector Brigadier General Mamia Balakhadze.

The NDA is the backbone of the Georgian Defense Forces’ officer corps. The United States Embassy is proud to offer support to its mission of educating and training future officers.

US Embassy in Tbilisi

David Agmashenebeli National Defence Academy celebrated its 24th anniversary. The event was opened with the performance of the National Anthem of Georgia by the military orchestra of the National Guard.

The Minister of Defence Levan Izoria, Chancellor of the National Security Council David Rakviashvili, Chief of General Staff Major General Vladimir Chachibaia and the rector of the academy Colonel Zaza Japaridze congratulated the representatives of the institution with the jubilee. The attendees of the event also included Deputy Defence Minister Nukri Gelashvili, Deputy Defence Minister Zaal Kapalandze, deputies of the Chief of General Staff and the families of military personnel and students of the academy.

Within the ceremonial event, number of academy’s personnel has been decorated for the successful military service. The Medal "For Irreproachable Service" was awarded to four servicemen in the 1st class and to fifteen servicemen in the 2nd class, while three servicemen of the academy received the award rifles. Students of the academy distinguished in various sports and educational activities were also awarded at the ceremony, five of whom additionally received timepieces from Timer Georgia LLC.

The event ended with the concert by the academy students, sports activities and a gala dinner.

David Agmashenebeli National Defence Academy is the educational institution with the fundamental goals of promoting academic and military education, fostering the development of Georgian Armed Forces and upbringing generations of the officers of high morale and leadership skills.

The academy was founded on May 28, 1993 and since the first graduation of officers in 1997 it went through a number of significant changes. In 2011 the academy was granted a status of the educational university, followed by the establishment of the bachelors and masters’ degree programs and the development of the officers’ educational system and career schools. On September 8, 2015, within the status of the educational university, the first group of officers graduated the academy. 105 lieutenants earned the bachelors’ degree.

David Agmashenebeli National Defence Academy actively continues the development of its study programs that fully correspond to the international educational 

MIA Academy hosted donor coordination group meeting which was attended by the representatives of U.S. State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) International Migration Organization (IOM) European Council and EU mission as well as attaches of Austria, France and Latvia.
At the meeting rector of the Academy Givi Mikanadze provided guests with detailed information on planned and ongoing activities of the educational facility.
Members of donor coordination group discussed results of needs analysis and the prospects of implementation of joint projects in the future.
At the end of the meeting guests were shown academy infrastructure, study classes and gym, mock jury court and BCP, forensic mobile lab, real and virtual shooting ranges.