The United States Department of State published an annual report 2016 on terrorist threats and and actions undertaken against them in which states that Georgia, is a longstanding member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, continues its strong engagement with the United States across a range of counterterrorism-related issues and remains a solid U.S. global security partner.
According to the report Georgia has improved its overall border security, in part due to its goal of attaining visa-free travel to the European Union. Nonetheless, Georgia’s lack of control over the Russian-occupied territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, its lack of diplomatic relations with Russia, and the country’s harsh terrain limited its ability to secure its borders.
Report also states that Georgian law enforcement agencies use cameras, terrorist watch‑lists, and advance passenger name records to help detect potential terrorist movement at ports of entry; however, according to the US State Department’s recommendation, more comprehensive biometric and biographic screening at ports of entry and the implementation of standard operating procedures for dealing with suspicious individuals would enhance this capability. According to the document, with significant U.S. support, the Georgian Coast Guard is better equipped to patrol the country’s maritime borders, with the exception of Russian‑occupied Abkhazia’s coastline.
US Department of state positively evaluated that Georgia shares cross-border terrorism-related information with its southern neighbors – Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey – through police attachs and working-level interaction at border crossings.
