Georgia hosts World Bank regional forum on Middle Corridor

The World Bank Group is hosting a regional forum, “Middle Corridor: The Next Stage,” bringing together representatives of the governments and private sectors of Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Türkiye, as well as international organizations and other stakeholders, to discuss opportunities for realizing the Middle Corridor’s full economic potential.

The forum also featured the official presentation of the World Bank report, “Integration: World-Class Trade Logistics Along the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor.” According to the World Bank Group, the publication provides a comprehensive assessment of challenges related to trade flows, infrastructure, logistics efficiency and sectoral policies along the Middle Corridor, while identifying priority areas for governments and private-sector stakeholders.

As noted at the forum, the new report expands the geographic scope of the analysis, examining nine countries participating in the Middle Corridor and assessing how coordinated investments, sectoral policy reforms and stronger institutions could transform the corridor by 2040 into a more competitive, resilient and growth-oriented trade route.

According to the report, the Middle Corridor has the potential to become a driver of trade, economic diversification and regional integration between Asia and Europe. However, its future success will depend not only on building new infrastructure but also on improving the efficiency of the corridor.

“Analysis indicates that demand for the corridor could increase substantially over the next 15 years if countries cooperate on infrastructure investment and service expansion. While significant investments are already underway, the next stage of development will require much faster and more reliable services, stronger trade facilitation, significantly greater digitalization and deeper cross-border cooperation. Such measures are essential to attracting high-value container trade, strengthening supply-chain resilience and creating new economic opportunities across the region,” the report says.

To realize the Middle Corridor’s full economic potential, the report identifies several measures, including strengthening transport institutions by enhancing the capacity of railways, ports and transport operators through improved governance, financial sustainability and greater mobilization of private capital.

It also calls for simplifying cross-border procedures by streamlining transport, customs transit and trade documentation and accelerating the use of digital solutions.

The report recommends increasing the level of digitalization across the corridor through compatible systems that improve transparency, coordination and data-related service delivery while safeguarding national sovereignty.

It also highlights the need to develop integrated rail and maritime transport services to provide faster, more reliable and commercially attractive transport solutions.

Other recommendations include strengthening regional coordination and private-sector participation through performance assessment, sectoral policy development and public-private cooperation, according to the report.

According to the report, Georgia’s strategic location between the Caspian and Black seas already gives it a leading role in the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, and the country will play an important part in shaping its future.

The report’s findings regarding the region point to a clear agenda for strengthening Georgia as a major transport hub by combining targeted investments in railways, roads, ports and logistics with reforms aimed at accelerating cargo movement, improving predictability, advancing digitalization and enhancing coordination across borders and among operators.

The report also highlights significant benefits for Georgia from the development of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor. According to its projections, by 2040, Georgia’s GDP could increase by 3.61% and employment by 0.79%, while imports and exports are also expected to expand.

These findings indicate that Georgia is well positioned to benefit from a more integrated and efficient corridor network.

According to the report, the next stage of the Middle Corridor’s development is not only about building additional infrastructure. It is about ensuring the entire route functions as an integrated logistics system.

“For Georgia, this means translating its strategic location into long-term economic value through reliable transport services, strong institutions, digital connectivity, private investment and deeper regional cooperation,” the report says.