MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
OF GEORGIA

Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia spoke about the Middle Corridor as an important factor of international relations at the panel discussion “The Middle Corridor in the Spotlight” held within the framework of the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum.

Levan Davitashvili, keynote speaker of the panel, emphasized the outmost significance of the road-transport connectivity for the development of all sectors of the economy including trade, investment, etc.

“Now we should pay more attention to connectivity, means of transportation. Road connectivity and road transport are very important, so we are developing this specific sector, which will serve for the good of all sectors of the economy. In addition to trade and investment, advanced road infrastructure affects unemployment and livelihoods in general. This is a single issue while the high spending on infrastructure is another our priority, as it contributes to the development of the economy. In 2021-2022, double-digit economic growth was observed in Georgia, and we want this high rate to be maintained in 2023 as well,” – the Vice Prime Minister stated.

“Connectivity” was the main theme of this year’s Silk Road Forum. In this context, the participants of the discussion reviewed the development prospects of the Middle Corridor and the importance of the international cooperation in this regard.

“We cooperate and participate in large-scale international projects, and we also participate in such an initiative as the Middle Corridor. Last November, in Aktau, Kazakhstan, the countries of the Middle Corridor signed an action plan to start work on it. We have five years ahead to work and improve the infrastructure, cooperation, policy, legislative framework, etc. There is still a need to coordinate activities and steps - so that everything is reliable, attractive, and transparent at the international level. This is the commitment we have taken, and now we can already see that the participants stand out for the unit and a single approach,” – Levan Davitashvili said in his speech.

The Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development emphasized that all the countries associated with the Middle Corridor have declared their desire to overcome the challenges related to the project. “We are sure that it will be a very effective route,” – Levan Davitashvili noted.

Davitashvili emphasized that the development of the Middle Corridor gives grounds for great optimism, despite the existing challenges. There are numerous countries participating in the Middle Corridor project, and different types of transport – the road, the rail and the sea transport, can be engaged.  Many stakeholders represent the private sector and therefore, coordination in the work process should be a matter of a top priority.

“We can build bridges not only in terms of physical infrastructure - it also involves good coordination. We also need to understand where and how the cargo comes to us and how it is shipped farther. It may come from China, but we are also interested in the connection from Europe to the countries of Southeast and Central Asia, of course, through the countries of the South Caucasus,” – the Vice Prime Minister explained.

Davitashvili suggested that it should be ensured that the costumers have the opportunity to receive comfortable services and therefore, digitization is one of the main priorities of the middle corridor.

“We are talking about a very precise action plan that will be updated regularly, and at the end, we will be a very competitive route indeed. This is the shortest road that connects Asia with Europe, and if there are acceptable prices, if the situation in this corridor is predictable, of course, we can attract more clients and customers in the long run,” –  Levan Davitashvili said.

However, according to the assessment of the Vice Prime Minister, the project may have short-term positive results, speeding up the transportation of goods in the Middle Corridor, but it is necessary to use all the preconditions that exist. “It is important to find more partners and become a Sandro partner for them as well,” – the Minister of Economy added.

Minister of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan – Rashad Nabiyev, Minister of Transport of the Republic of Uzbekistan – lkham Makhkamov, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic Turkey – Enver Iskurt, Vice-Minister of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Satzhan Ablaliyev, Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) – Kitack Lim and Secretary General, International Road Transport Union (IRU) – Umberto de Pretto were other speakers of the panel.