ADB allocates EUR 306.6 million to Georgia for Batumi-Sarpi highway project

The Minister of Finance of Georgia, Lasha Khutsishvili, and Lesley Bearman Lahm, the Country Director for the Georgia Resident Mission of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), signed a loan agreement supporting the construction of an approximately 11-kilometre, mostly two-lane highway along the Batumi-Sarpi route, the Ministry of Finance’s press service announced.

The long-term loan totals EUR 306.6 million. Under the project, the highway will commence from the Batumi bypass and extend near the Sarpi border crossing with Turkiye. Key engineering features include a 7.6-kilometre bidirectional tunnel and a 1.47-kilometre bridge over the Chorokhi River, both designed in accordance with Trans-European Motorway standards.

“Strategically, this project will bolster regional integration and trade, significantly reduce travel times, and enhance road safety standards,” the press release noted.

Before the signing ceremony, Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili, Minister of Infrastructure Revaz Sokhadze, and Lesley Bearman Lahm discussed the project’s importance and the broader scope of cooperation with the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The ministers expressed gratitude to the ADB representative for the ongoing support and voiced hope that the partnership will continue to flourish.