MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
OF GEORGIA

“To strengthen Georgia’s connectivity and enhance the competitiveness of the Middle Corridor, close cooperation with member states and partners within the framework of TRACECA is of utmost importance” – the Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Tamar Ioseliani, stated during her speech at the eighteenth annual session of the TRACECA Intergovernmental Commission.

As explained by the Deputy Minister, Georgia is actively working within multilateral initiatives to expand its transport and transit potential.

“The development of the Middle Corridor is a strategic priority. By 2032, we plan to mobilize 7 billion USD for the development of core transport and logistical infrastructure. In this context, the Georgian Railway modernization project represents a crucial milestone, which has substantially increased operational efficiency and reduced transit times. Regional railway connections have also been significantly strengthened by the completion of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars new railway line project, which will facilitate increased East-West cargo turnover” – Tamar Ioseliani stated.

Speaking at the session, the Deputy Minister also discussed the modernization of the East-West Highway, noting that more than 74% of the planned 430-kilometer route has already been completed and put into operation, ensuring a significant improvement in the country’s transit efficiency.

“In the maritime sector, the Anaklia Deep Sea Port represents a transformative project for Georgia and the entire region. By 2029, following the completion of the first phase, the port will be capable of handling up to 600,000 TEU of cargo, while under the second phase, its capacity will increase to at least 1 million TEU by 2035. Notably, construction is already actively underway - breakwater and dredging works commenced in April 2026.

In parallel, Georgia is investing heavily in the development of air connections. The new international airport planned near Tbilisi will increase annual capacity from 5 million passengers to 20 million, which will bring the total annual capacity of the country’s airports to 30 million passengers by 2032” – Tamar Ioseliani said.

Tamar Ioseliani drew attention to the positive dynamics in shipping, noting that a sharp increase in container shipping was recorded in Georgian ports in 2025 - with turnover growing by 20%. Positive dynamics are also evident in the railway sector, where the annual indicator for container shipping showed a 14% growth. As noted by the Deputy Minister, transport flows along the Middle Corridor increased by 33%, which clearly demonstrates Georgia’s growing role as a key transit hub in the region.

According to the Deputy Minister, the creation of a joint venture between the railways of the Middle Corridor countries represents a major step toward strengthening the coordination of multimodal services, predictability and route competitiveness within the Middle Corridor.

Furthermore, according to Tamar Ioseliani, developing Black Sea connectivity remains a priority, particularly through expanding direct ferry connections with European partners, which ensures efficient access to European markets.

It is noteworthy that during the current session, the chairmanship was handed over to Kazakhstan and, within the framework of the event, member states elected the new Secretary General of TRACECA - Jasurbek Choriyev, who previously held the post of Deputy Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan. The Georgian side congratulated its Uzbek colleague on being elected as Secretary General and also thanked the outgoing TRACECA Secretary General, Aset Asavbaev, for his hard work.