Middle Corridor Transport Route Set to Be Fully Operational in One Year: Prospects for Georgia's Economy

Today's conference at the Black Sea Platform explored the imminent full operation of the Middle Corridor transport route, expected within the next year. The gathering saw participation from government bodies, business associations, diplomatic corps, and civil organizations from Georgia, EU countries, and regions. Key discussion points included the potential challenges and opportunities presented by this strategic corridor.

Zviad Chumburidze, Secretary-General of the European Union-Georgia Business Council, spoke to BusinessPartner about the significance of the Black Sea Platform conference. Now in its second year, the conference underpins consulting, informational, and economic initiatives aimed at fostering cooperation and economic project development among Black Sea nations and their partners.

Chumburidze emphasized the importance of public-private dialogue, particularly at this juncture of Georgia's economic advancement, and acknowledged existing challenges such as infrastructure needs, high tariffs, and coordination among Middle Corridor countries. Despite these obstacles, he noted that concerted efforts are underway to address these issues, with expectations set for the corridor to be fully operational within a year to eighteen months.

The Black Sea Platform's annual conference delved into specific projects and reforms designed to enhance trade with the European Union and bolster bilateral ties. Notably, the successful ferry service between Georgia's Poti and Romania's Constanta was highlighted, currently operating at full capacity in both directions. The conference also spotlighted the increasing interest from Georgian logistics companies, indicating a growing trend among local and international firms to utilize this route.

The annual Black Sea Platform conference, convened in Tbilisi and organized by the EU-Georgia Business Council, was supported by USAID's Economic Governance Program.