As part of its cooperation with Eagle Hills, the government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara has transferred 2.57 million square meters (257.9 hectares) of coastal land near Gonio, including a former military training ground, to the Georgian state at no cost.
Authorities report that Eagle Hills plans to invest USD 6.6 billion in development projects across Georgia, including Tbilisi and Batumi. However, the investment agreement remains classified as a commercial secret, raising questions about transparency.
More on this: Multi-Billion Dollar Project Eagle Hills Contract Classified as Commercial Secret
The ruling Georgian Dream party maintains that the project is above reproach and that confidentiality clauses are routine. Despite this, protestors gathered in Batumi on December 14, 2025, demanding full disclosure of the agreement with Eagle Hills.
On March 17, 2025, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze signed Decree No. 497, titled “On Measures to Be Implemented by the Government of Georgia within the Framework of Cooperation with the UAE-Based Development and Investment Company Eagle Hills.”
The decree directed various state institutions to implement specific measures and allowed for additional support from the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara as needed.
On November 13, 2025, Batumelebi formally requested detailed information from Adjara’s government about the steps taken under Decree No. 497 and ongoing activities. The inquiry was forwarded to the Adjara Ministry of Finance and Economy, which replied a month later.
In a letter dated December 15, 2025, the ministry confirmed that, as mandated by the decree, land plots near Gonio in Batumi—previously owned by Adjara—were transferred free of charge to the Georgian state for subsequent management and development.
Public Registry records show that, as of August 2025, the entire 2,579,000 square meters of land—once under the ownership of Adjara—have been officially registered as state property.
This registration was made on the basis of a directive issued by the Chair of the Adjara government in July 2025. Specifically, Order No. 1705, dated July 30, 2025, authorized the transfer of immovable property from the Autonomous Republic of Adjara to state ownership.
On the map, the 257.9-hectare area of the former military training ground in Gonio—previously owned by Adjara and now under state control—is highlighted in yellow. This prime coastal land is slated for transfer to Eagle Hills Georgia as part of the investment project. The map also marks 15.8 hectares in red, which remains under Adjara’s ownership, and 18.9 hectares in blue, owned by Assets Management and Development Company LLC, a fully state-owned enterprise. Deputy Minister of Economy Irakli Nadareishvili states that Georgia’s contribution to the project includes 260 hectares of land in Gonio and 590 hectares near Tbilisi. Eagle Hills, as the investor, is responsible for delivering the architectural design and securing the capital for implementation, with the project’s total investment estimated at USD 6.6 billion.
Eagle Hills Georgia LLC was registered in Tbilisi on April 28, 2025. The company is led by Director Hisham Mohamed Ibrahim Soliman, who holds citizenship in both Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.
As of December 2, 2025, registry data shows that:
- Eagle Hills Development Holding Limited (UAE) holds a 66.67% majority stake in the company,
- While the remaining 33.33% is owned by the State of Georgia, represented by the Ministry of Economy.
The supervisory board comprises both Georgian and international members:
- Irakli Nadareishvili (Georgia)
- Tornike Zirakashvili (Georgia)
- Mohamed Ali Rashed Alabbar (UAE)
- Rashid Mohamed Ali Rashed Alabbar (UAE)
- Hisham Mohamed Ibrahim Soliman (Egypt/UAE), who also serves as director.
Rendering of Eagle Hills’ planned coastal development in Gonio, illustrating the scale and type of projects proposed for the Chorokhi Delta protected area.
The Chorokhi River Delta territory earmarked for transfer to Eagle Hills lies within the Emerald Network—a system of protected areas recognized for their ecological significance.
To enable Eagle Hills’ investment plans, a government decree issued in March 2025 instructed the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture to take all necessary steps to alter the protected boundaries of the Emerald Network, if deemed necessary.
Officials from Georgia’s Ministry of Environmental Protection have confirmed to Batumelebi that Eagle Hills’ proposed developments will directly impact protected areas within the Chorokhi Delta, intensifying concerns among environmental advocates.
