Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze addressed the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries hosted by Turkmenistan.
Below is the PM’s speech as delivered:
First of all, let me thank the President of Turkmenistan for hosting us in this beautiful city. It is my honor to address this Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries on behalf of Georgia, a nation that has transformed its geographical position from a perceived limitation into a strategic advantage for regional connectivity and global trade.
As a nation located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, Georgia has long served as a natural gateway between East and West. Today, we are proud to provide critical access to global trade routes for 8 landlocked countries, offering them connectivity, reliability, and opportunity.
Our strategic location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia has positioned us as a key transit corridor that bridges continents and connects markets. For European businesses, Georgia is the most direct overland route not only to the South Caucasus, but further to Central Asia and broader Eastern markets. And vice versa, for our landlocked neighbors to the east, we are the gateway to Europe, both in geography and in trade.
However, being a gateway is not enough. We must be an efficient gateway. Efficiency in transit operations requires deliberate policy choices, strategic investments, and a commitment to excellence in service delivery. This is precisely what Georgia has pursued over the past decade, and the results speak for themselves.
Our efforts have been recognized globally. According to the World Bank’s new Business Ready (B-READY) 2024 assessment, Georgia ranks among the top three countries globally – alongside Singapore and Estonia. We are proud to be among the global leaders in regulatory quality, public service efficiency, and operational performance.
We are also ranked as the third least tax-burdened country globally, with a tax rate of just 9.9%. And Georgia remains the №1 country in Eastern Europe and Central Asia on the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index. We’ve created a business climate that is corruption-free, digitally advanced, and reliably governed.
Our vision of becoming a multifunctional and multidirectional hub is supported by transformative infrastructure projects that enhance our connectivity capacity, including the East-West Highway, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, the Anaklia Deep Sea Port and Dry ports – all of which strengthen Georgia’s role along the Middle Corridor between Asia and Europe. This infrastructure is not designed for Georgia alone. It is built to serve the broader region – to unlock markets, reduce transit costs, and integrate our economies into the global system.
However, we know that infrastructure alone is not enough. Access to capital and investments is vital to sustain and scale these ambitions. That’s why Georgia has created one of the most open and investor-friendly environments in the world. Georgia has become one of the most reliable and top-performing partners for international financial institutions, and is increasingly recognized as a highly attractive destination for all things business – from finance and trade to logistics, innovation, and investment. We currently enjoy Free Trade Agreements covering a market of over 2.2 billion consumers. Georgia is the only country in the region with Free Trade Agreements both with the EU and China. We also enjoy preferential access to markets including the US, Canada, Japan – and are finalizing negotiations with India.
This network of trade agreements creates a multiplier effect, where landlocked countries using Georgian transit corridors gain indirect access to markets that would otherwise require complex bilateral negotiations. Georgia’s vision is clear: we do not only seek to be a hub – we aim to be a multifunctional, multidirectional hub – a connector of continents, markets, people, and ideas. A hub that adds value at every stage of the supply chain. This means developing capabilities in warehousing, processing, assembly, and distribution that transform Georgia from a simple transit point into an integral part of regional value chains.
This approach creates jobs at home and delivers tangible benefits for our landlocked partners – a win-win model where efficiency gains benefit all participants in the regional trade ecosystem.
Distinguished delegates, Georgia does not think only of itself. We are not just consumers of the global economy – we are active contributors to global economic cycles. Our strategic approach to transit and trade creates sustainable and predictable conditions not only for Georgia but for the entire broader region.
When landlocked countries have reliable, efficient access to global markets through Georgian corridors, it enhances regional stability, promotes economic development, and contributes to global supply chain resilience. This is our contribution to the international community – a commitment to being part of the solution to the challenges faced by landlocked developing countries.
In closing, I reaffirm Georgia’s unwavering commitment to serving as a partner, platform, and enabler for landlocked developing countries. We invite our partners to deepen cooperation, expand connectivity, and turn our shared geographic challenges into engines of regional prosperity.”
