“We are living in a time of changes that make our region, the South Caucasus, more important when we talk about connectivity. Georgia is a connecting route between Europe and Asia that is important for the European Union,” said Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maka Botchorishvili at a panel discussion within the framework of the Munich Security Conference (MSC).

According to the Georgian FM, Georgia is a stable country which has strategic relations with all its neighbours.

“What we are discussing today is very much related to the future of European security and prosperity. And it’s a very relevant and right topic to discuss at this time. We are living in a time of change. Lots of things are changing. There are geopolitical changes that are influencing everything. That is related to Europe, to Asia, to relationships. And that makes our region, the South Caucasus region, more important when we talk about connectivity. And when we look at the map and take into account what is happening around us, we see that this issue is becoming critical.

For decades, we have developed excellent cooperation with our neighbors, with Azerbaijan and with Turkiye, to build successful projects for connectivity and to exercise this connecting possibility, and to play that role.

But now, when we talk and look at what is happening and how things are developing in the region. And here, I will also mention developments between Armenia and Azerbaijan. New opportunities are emerging with this conflict result and with the relationship revitalizing between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The South Caucasus is becoming, with more opportunities to play an important role in terms of connectivity between Europe and Asia. And here is Georgia with additional value with the access to the Black Sea, which gives us additional value in terms of playing an important role for countries of Central Asia, Caucasus and further Asian countries.

To be connected with Europe, and it is vital for the European Union itself and for European connectivity from that side, because after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, things are changing. It has changed, and exactly that route is becoming extremely important for European security and European prosperity.

And Georgia, which has for decades developed and managed to establish quite an attractive economy, which is still growing because it has growth and is very stable and impressive. I would say, if you look at the European Economist, Georgia’s economic performance is pretty impressive. Georgia has developed very close cooperation with neighbors. We have a strategic partnership with all our neighbours except Russia. And with Russia, we have our security concerns to 20% of territories still remain occupied by the Russian Federation, and this creates a security challenge in this region and remains there.

But nevertheless, with this security challenge, with hybrid challenges that we face, we managed to succeed in terms of creating investment favorable economic environment in the country and to reach impressive economic growth and to play an important role in terms of connectivity and develop together with our neighbors, Azerbaijan and Turkiye, very important connectivity projects, and very recent, which is a railway project Baku-Tbilisi-Kars, which will play additional role in that sense.

And if you look at the wider region, of course, relations with Central Asian countries are very important. We are following our neighbours, developing relationship with the five Central Asian countries, which is also very important from our perspective that will help Georgia to be more connected with Central Asian countries.

And definitely, the strategic partnership that we have developed throughout this decade will contribute to that sense. And one more thing, which is related to free trade today. It was mentioned during the opening session – the importance of free trade, and we are very proud that we are enjoying 16 free trade agreements, which gives Georgia the possibility to play an additional role in this process of connecting different regions. We have free trade agreements with the European Union, with all the neighbouring countries, with Central Asian countries, with China, with the United Arab Emirates. We are discussing free trade agreements with other countries as well. And definitely, that is something that will contribute to future economic projects and economic cooperation. And we are very open to develop new projects and see that the European Union is also looking at the Black Sea from a different perspective.

So our idea is to play the role of a connecting bridge rather than a wall that divides. And here the Black Sea should play an important role, of course if you look at bilateral cooperation with Romania, Bulgaria, it is extremely important from our perspective, that is something that connects us with European Union, and as much physical these links will be, the more opportunities will come and make these links physucal, we are discussing to build a Black Sea Submarine Cable that will connect our region with Europe, and taking into account energy resources and the capacity that exists in the region, Azerbaijan and beyond, this is very important for energy security for European Union and European countries. So, again, it is important, I would say a critical topic for the European future,” she said.