Deputy Economy Minister: Investors Forum emphasises Georgia’s importance for connectivity

Georgian Deputy Economy Minister Guram Guramishvili on Monday said the importance of Georgia for transport connectivity between Europe and Central Asia was emphasised at the Investors Forum for EU-Central Asia Transport Connectivity in Brussels on Monday. 

Important projects that Georgia is implementing for the sustainability of the Middle Corridor were discussed - [including] the modernisation of the railway, the East-West highway, the Anaklia port project”, he said in reference to domestic projects for developing the regional logistics route connecting Central Asia with Europe.

Guramishvili noted Georgia had made “significant progress” in the legislative convergence with the European Union in transport, following one of the obligations of the Association Agreement signed with the bloc in 2014.

The Deputy Minister also said it was “important” to promote direct connectivity on the Black Sea with EU countries. 

Currently, Georgia has direct traffic with Romania and Bulgaria. In the future, the mentioned transport connection will increase even more, for which the Ministry of Economy is negotiating with the relevant parties. It is also important for Georgia to improve its positioning in terms of implementing these projects in the Middle Corridor”, Guramishvili said.

Guram Guramishvili at the Investors Forum in Brussels. Photo: Ministry of Economy

The Ministry of Economy said the participants of the two-day Forum would discuss the 2023 study by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which aimed to identify the most sustainable and promising routes between Europe and Central Asia, over the next two days at the event.

The body added the EBRD study rated the Middle Corridor as the “most attractive” route to connect Europe with Central Asia. The study said container traffic on the Trans-Caspian route between Europe and China might increase to 1.1 million containers by 2040.

A separate session will be devoted to the role of Georgia and other partner countries in connecting Europe and Central Asia, where steps taken for the development of the Middle Corridor - including current and planned investments in transport infrastructure - will be discussed.