On October 13, 2026, the National Bank of Georgia and the Central Bank of the UAE signed a memorandum of cooperation. Against this backdrop, interest from Gulf-based developers in Georgia’s Black Sea coast is growing: in late September, Ambassadori Island Batumi entered into a $200 million partnership with ONE Development.

What the central banks signed
The document was signed by Natia Turnava, Governor of the National Bank of Georgia, and Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the Central Bank of the UAE. The signing took place in Bangkok during the annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank.
The memorandum serves as a framework agreement, providing for:
cooperation between regulators in the financial sector and banking supervision;
the exchange of information and expertise;
support for fintech innovation;
the sharing of experience regarding payment systems and financial services.
The Georgian side anticipates that the latter point will help streamline cross-border transactions.

Why this matters for investors
While the agreement does not alter the rules for purchasing real estate, it signals that the financial systems of the two nations are drawing closer. For buyers from the UAE and other Gulf states, Georgia is becoming a more accessible and transparent jurisdiction—with regulators working in tandem and the prospect of simplified financial settlements.
Developers from the UAE are already entering the Batumi market
This trend is also evident in the market itself. At the LIVEX Abu Dhabi 2026 exhibition, Ambassadori Island Batumi signed a partnership agreement with ONE Development, a UAE-based developer. The company will invest $200 million in a multifunctional complex on the island. According to the island’s management, this will be the first urban project on Ambassadori Island to integrate artificial intelligence.
Currently, projects such as the Tonino Lamborghini Tower, First Tower, One Peninsula, and Origami are available for purchase on the island. These are business- and premium-class residential properties located on the Black Sea coast.

AR Group’s perspective:
"For clients from the Gulf countries, it is important that the market be predictable and transparent. Cooperation between central banks and the entry of developers from the UAE into the Ambassadori Island project help foster this trust. We are seeing growing interest in the island from foreign investors," note representatives of Ambassador Realty Group.