Georgia, Turkey Discuss Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor Development

Within the framework of the official visit to Turkey, Georgia’s Vice-Premier and Minister of Economy, Dimitry Kumsishvili met the Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communication of Turkey Ahmet Arslan.

The ministers discussed joint development and promotion of trans-Caspian transport corridor.

"We welcome the joint development and promotion of Trans-Caspian, the same Middle Transport Corridor by Georgia, Turkey and Azerbaijan,” Kumsishvili stated in Ankara on February 21.

As First Vice-Premier of Georgia stated, development of Trans-Caspian corridor is very important not only for Georgia and Turkey but for the whole region.

Furthermore, Kumsishvili highlighted the projects that will facilitate the process of attracting more cargoes in the middle corridor. Among these projects he named the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway, the Georgian Railway Modernization Project, construction of the East-West Express Highway, the development of Logistic Centers in Tbilisi and Kutaisi and the Anaklia Deep Sea Port project.

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route Association is aimed at deepening and strengthening trade connections and transportation of goods to China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Ukraine and the EU countries.

The agreement on establishing the Association was signed by Georgia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in 2016.

By Thea Morrison