Investor Bob Meyer and the Anaklia Development Consortium have issued a statement regarding the decision of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) regarding the Anaklia Port project, noting that the ICSID arbitration decision is “disappointing.”

In particular, investor Bob Meyer notes that the tribunal considered only examined a narrow question.

Interpressnews provides the text of the statement unchanged.

“Mr. Bob Meijer and the Supervisory Board of the Anaklia Development Consortium (ADC) issued the following statements in response to the award issued by the Tribunal in arbitration case Bob Meijer v. Georgia (ICSID Case No. ARB/20/28). Mr Meijer’s claim was filed at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) pursuant to the Agreement on Encouragement and Reciprocal Protection of Investments between Georgia and the Kingdom of the Netherlands (the BIT).

Mr. Meijer’s claim sought to recover the value of his investment in the Anaklia Development Consortium (ADC) following the Government’s January 2020 termination of its Investment Agreement with ADC to develop the Anaklia Deep Water Port.

On July 30, 2025, the ICSID Tribunal issued an award denying Mr. Meijer’s claim. Specific details of the ruling and the arbitration proceedings are confidential.

Statement of Mr. Bob Meijer

“The outcome of the ICSID arbitration is disappointing, but it is important to understand that the Tribunal only examined a narrow question: whether the Government was within its rights under the Georgia-Netherlands bilateral investment treaty to terminate the Investment Agreement. I chose to invest in ADC and the Anaklia Port because I saw the enormous potential for Georgia to establish a leading role in the regional economy and in global trade. Likewise, I have always maintained absolute trust in the integrity and vision of my fellow ADC investors, and in our collective ability to develop this port project, if only the Georgian government would play a proper role in facilitating its development.”

Statement of Anaklia Development Consortium

“While the ICSID ruling is unfortunate, it does not change the central fact that this Government has completely failed in its long-promised commitment to develop Anaklia. Literally within weeks of terminating the investment agreement with ADC, the Georgian Dream government commenced five years of broken promises and empty rhetoric about its intention to build the Anaklia Port. But here we are, five years later, and there is no signed agreement with any developer, much less actual construction.

“Had this government upheld its obligations and supported ADC, the Anaklia Port would be operating today, providing thousands of jobs for Georgians, boosting our nation’s economy and making Georgia a vital link in global commerce. Had it done so, this government would be seen as a respected leader on the world stage, rather than as the pariah that it has become.”

Background:

ADC is a consortium which consists of TBC Holding Anaklia from Georgia, Van Oord PPP International of the Netherlands, British Wondernet Express working in Central Asia, G-Star Ltd. from Bulgaria, Conti International from the U.S. and Mr. Meijer.

In July 2020, ADC filed a request for arbitration before the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), seeking to recover the value of their investment and rights in the Anaklia Deep Water Port Project following the Georgian Government’s January 2020 termination of the Investment Agreement which granted ADC the right to develop the Anaklia Port Project. That termination followed a sustained politically-driven campaign to undermine ADC and its investors and to thwart ADC’s efforts to develop the project in accordance with the Investment Agreement. ADC’s ICC claim was denied in July 2024.

Separately, Mr. Meijer, filed his own ICSID arbitration claim against Georgia seeking his own relief for the losses he has suffered at Georgia’s hands.

In the arbitrations ADC and Mr. Meijer were represented by a legal team led by Mr. Andy Moody at Baker McKenzie in London and Ms. Ketevan Kvartskhava at BLC in Tbilisi”, reads the statement.

For information, according to the Ministry of Justice, Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze lost the dispute over the Anaklia port in the Washington arbitration institution.

"The Washington Arbitration (World Bank's International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes - ICSID) has issued a decision on the Anaklia Port case and fully satisfied the Georgian government's demands. This time, the Washington Arbitration has confirmed that the failure to implement the Anaklia Port project is entirely the responsibility of Mamuka Khazaradze, Badri Japaridze and their partners, and there has been no interference in any way by the Georgian government," reads the statement.