Georgia’s Foreign Ministry launches ‘Crossroads Diplomacy Network’ exchange programme for young Central Asian diplomats

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia has formally concluded the inaugural edition of its professional exchange initiative, the Crossroads Diplomacy Network, bringing together emerging diplomats from Georgia and across Central Asia, the ministry announced on Monday.

The programme convened junior diplomatic officers from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan alongside their Georgian peers. Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Maka Botchorishvili underscored the initiative’s strategic role in exchanging institutional expertise and fostering long-term regional cooperation, addressing participants at the closing ceremony.

“Our objective was to establish a dedicated platform where young diplomats from diverse regions could meet, share practical experience, deliberate on shared challenges, identify new avenues for collaboration, and, most importantly, build strong professional ties,” Botchorishvili stated.

The Foreign Minister drew particular attention to the expanding strategic partnership between Georgia and Central Asian states, pointing to the pivotal role of regional transit infrastructure.

“Growing economic ties, trade and transport routes, and close energy cooperation link our nations. The Middle Corridor is a prime example of this accelerating connectivity, unlocking fresh opportunities for Central Asia, Georgia, and the wider region.

While physical infrastructure connects our economies, initiatives of this nature connect our people. As the figures who will define inter-state relations in the years ahead, the professional relationships you forge today will serve as the foundation for our future partnership,” Botchorishvili added.

The exchange marks the first time such an initiative has been conducted specifically for Central Asian diplomatic corps, with the Foreign Ministry confirming that the network will now operate on a regular, institutionalised basis. At the conclusion of the event, Ms Botchorishvili presented participants with official certificates of completion.