Azernews.Az

Akbar Novruz

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Georgia is strengthening its position within the Middle Corridor due to ongoing infrastructure projects and its advantageous geographical location, Azernews reports, citing the international consulting company PMCG.

This assessment was voiced by Giorgi Papava, leading economist at PMCG, during the 28th annual meeting of the American-Georgian Business Council (AGBC) in Washington, which focused on bilateral relations between Georgia and the United States.

Papava highlighted the growing strategic relevance of the Middle Corridor, a transcontinental route linking China and Central Asia with Europe via the South Caucasus. He noted that despite existing challenges related to throughput capacity, costs, and logistical efficiency, Georgia’s location and infrastructure upgrades significantly enhance its role in this evolving transport network.

“Projects such as the expansion of the Poti port, modernization of the railways and the advancement of the Anaklia deep-sea port project can further increase the region's potential for diversified trade and investment attraction,” Papava said.

He also underlined that although Georgia is not formally part of the C5+1 platform, the country remains an important actor in broader regional processes. According to Papava, growing US engagement in Central Asia, particularly in energy cooperation, supply chain diversification, and transport connectivity, creates new opportunities for Georgia to act as a bridge between Central Asian markets and European partners.

This dynamic, he stressed, places Georgia at the forefront of emerging transregional cooperation frameworks.

It should be noted that the Middle Corridor is a key transport and trade route connecting Asia with Europe and serves as an alternative to traditional Northern and Southern corridors. The route originates in China, passes through Central Asian states including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, crosses the Caspian Sea, and continues through Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye before reaching Europe. By bypassing longer maritime routes, the Middle Corridor offers a faster and strategically diversified land connection between East Asia and European markets.