Head of Iliauni Business School Reviews Georgia's Important Projects

Head of Iliauni Business School Giorgi Abashishvili Reviews Georgia's Important Projects

Development of transport connections is strategically important for Georgia, to receive maximal benefit from BRI on one hand and achieve SDGs on the other hand.

The greatest potential economic corridor that passes through Georgia is the main bridge in trade and economic relations between Europe and Asia. In the development of the BRI, our region is the key players that have close cooperation in the field of transport and logistics.

With construction of infrastructure, transit potential will increase, new investments will be made, new employment opportunities will be created, partnership between countries will deepen, and all of these will play positive role in country’s economic development.

Project benefits will stimulate sustainable economic growth, industrialization, international trade and urbanization.

The Corridor will become attractive for both cargo and passenger transportation, as well as for attracting tourists. All this automatically means countries successes about SDG achievements.

If Georgia wants to receive more benefits from the BRI, it should focus more on EU – China trade relations. Georgia needs to take more proactive steps in this direction. Speedy implementation of heavy transport – logistical infrastructural projects. Attraction of more private investments in these projects.

It is important to create a working group with state initiative, with participation of high-level officials from public, private, non-governmental sectors and academia, to develop common vision on how to use competitive advantage from the BRI.

Regular, intensive, proactive work is required with target corridor countries, to simplify border-crossing procedures between participant countries.

It is important to form the strategy from national security context, which will assess all potential risks related with the corridor, such as political and operational risks. 

The country’s location and generally favorable investment climate should support the transition from a strategic transit corridor to a regional logistics platform. This requires further improvements to transport infrastructure, investing in logistics facilities.