MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
OF GEORGIA

Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Tamar Ioseliani participated in the Ministerial Forum held within the framework of the Global Sustainable Transport Forum in China and addressed the audience.

The Ministerial Forum, dedicated to the implementation of the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and Global Governance Initiative (GGI) as well as deepening cooperation in sustainable transport, took place in Beijing as part of the ongoing Global Sustainable Transport Forum.

At the beginning of her speech, Tamar Ioseliani expressed support for the initiative on behalf of Georgia, emphasizing that deepening international and regional cooperation is of particular importance for the development of sustainable and efficient transport connections.

The Deputy Minister highlighted the sustainable development of Georgia’s transport system, the strengthening of the country’s transit role, the competitiveness of the Middle Corridor, multimodal connectivity and the digital transformation of the transport sector.

According to her, developing sustainable transport for Georgia means creating a modern and efficient transport system that fosters economic growth and the long-term development of the country. As the Deputy Minister noted, this exact approach is reflected in Georgia’s 10-year transport development plan, which aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

“By 2032, Georgia plans to mobilize approximately 7 billion USD for the development of transport infrastructure. Investments cover the expansion of rail, maritime, aviation and road networks, including the Anaklia Deep Sea Port and the new international airport in Vaziani. Through these projects, Georgia further strengthens its role in the transport system connecting Europe and Asia. Moreover, Georgia’s strategic location on the Black Sea gives eight landlocked countries in the wider region access to international maritime routes. That is precisely why the safety, efficiency, reliability, and predictability of transport connections passing through Georgia are of paramount importance to us,” – Tamar Ioseliani stated.

The Deputy Minister paid special attention to the new phase of the Middle Corridor’s development. According to her, significant infrastructure investments are being made along the corridor, market demand is rising, and the formation of an enhanced coordination framework between participating countries is near completion.

“Our main task is to leverage the current momentum to eliminate bottlenecks in the corridor, make better use of throughput capacity, and ensure that the Middle Corridor functions on the principle of a unified and integrated transport system,” – Tamar Ioseliani declared.

She added that establishing coordination mechanisms at both ministerial and working levels within the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor will elevate cooperation to a new stage, fostering closer and more effective coordination among member countries.

According to Tamar Ioseliani, along with infrastructure development, Georgia pays special attention to the efficient functioning of the transport system, digital transformation, and the simplification of border procedures. To this end, the country is developing a Maritime Single Window system, digitizing transport documents, and working to enhance cross-border data exchange.

“We already have concrete results in this direction – transit times and procedure durations are decreasing, transport system efficiency is growing and market access is improving. Our goal is for ongoing infrastructure investments and further deepened international cooperation to sustain this progress, yielding even more tangible benefits both for Georgia and the entire region,” – the Deputy Minister said.

Tamar Ioseliani also highlighted the importance of cooperation with China and other countries involved in the Middle Corridor.

“Georgia stands ready to continue working alongside China and all participating countries in the Middle Corridor to boost its competitiveness. Investments in infrastructure and international cooperation must ensure faster, more efficient and reliable transport links, unlocking new economic opportunities for the entire region,” – Tamar Ioseliani said.