Economy and Sustainable Development Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili took part in the Second Investors’ Forum on the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor and Connectivity, held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and co-organised by the European Union under its Global Gateway initiative.

The forum was opened by Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev, Transport Minister Ilhom Mahkamov, European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela, and European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos.

Kvrivishvili joined a panel discussion on strengthening connectivity across Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and the Black Sea region. She highlighted Georgia’s major state investments in transport infrastructure, which have reduced travel and transit times and improved road safety.

She pointed to several key projects, including the East-West Highway—over 70% complete—and the modernisation of the main railway line, which has doubled container transit speed by cutting transport time from 24 hours to 12. She noted that Georgia will expand its railway rolling stock next year to meet growing transit and export demand. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is also nearing full activation by year’s end.

The Minister underscored the strategic importance of the Anaklia Deep-Sea Port, which will handle large container ships and serve as a major hub between Europe and Asia. She added that expanded ferry links to EU ports, along with new logistics zones and dry ports, will support multimodal transport.

Kvrivishvili stressed that Georgia’s connectivity agenda aligns closely with EU initiatives, particularly through the integration of Georgia’s key transport infrastructure into the Trans-European Transport Network. This alignment, she said, strengthens Georgia’s role within the EU’s Global Gateway strategy and transforms the country from a transit route into a regional connecting hub.

Deputy Ministers Tamar Ioseliani and Genadi Arveladze also represented Georgia at the forum.

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route—known as the Middle Corridor—links Asia and Europe through the South Caucasus and Central Asia, bypassing Russia.