Azerbaijan~Georgia Bridge to the Black Sea

2026-07-25

The Black Sea access, location on one of the main land corridors connecting Europe and Asia, and numerous free trade opportunities make Georgia an attractive investment platform in the fields of logistics, trade, and services. The main elements of this strategy are the development of East-West and North-South highways, the construction of the Anaklia deep-sea port, and the modernization of railway and road infrastructure.

Official Tbilisi is well aware that geographical location can only become an advantage if it is reinforced by solid infrastructure, a stable political environment, and international partnerships. “We have close relations with the countries of Central Asia, as well as with our neighbors — Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey — and we want to develop these relations even further,” Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said in Singapore. Under his leadership, the Georgian delegation held high-level meetings in Singapore.

It is impossible to imagine Georgia’s rise as a regional leader without considering the role of Azerbaijan. In fact, this process has developed on the basis of joint projects that the two countries with the transport and logistics potential of the South Caucasus have implemented over the years. Azerbaijan is one of the main creators of energy and transport initiatives in the region; it has led these projects not only out of its own economic interests, but also within the framework of the strategy for integrating the South Caucasus into the global trading system.

Today, the “Middle Corridor” includes Azerbaijan’s initiatives, the modern port infrastructure it has created in the Caspian Sea (including the Baku International Sea Trade Port), the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, and the route connecting it to Europe via Georgia. Thanks to transport connections and access roads, this direction has become one of the most promising trade corridors in the world. Against the backdrop of deepening international relations between China and Europe, the importance of this initiative is growing every year.

Azerbaijan will not be limited to the function of a transit country; it will emerge as a reliable partner, a logistics center, and a key creator of regional cooperation and connections. The construction of the Aliati Free Economic Zone, the expansion of the Baku port, the modernization of the railway network, and the digitalization of customs services will significantly improve Azerbaijan’s transit capabilities. This infrastructure, together with Georgia’s Black Sea ports, forms a logistics chain.

For this reason, Georgia’s claim to be a regional hub does not weaken Azerbaijan’s strategic position; on the contrary, it further strengthens it. The point is that the region’s competitive advantage is based not on individual countries, but on an integrated transport system. The emergence of Azerbaijan as the “gateway to the Caspian Sea” and Georgia as the “gateway to the Black Sea” will shape a new economic reality in Eurasian trade.

In recent years, the growing interest in the countries of Central Asia has been reflected in the European Alliance’s intention to invest in alternative transport routes and diversify cargo routes between China and Europe. Current events show that this process will gain even greater importance in the near future. This creates the need to deepen coordination between Azerbaijan and Georgia.

There is no doubt that the high level of political trust and long-term cooperation between the two countries ensure the success of regional projects in the fields of energy, transport and trade. The implementation of projects such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the “Southern Gas Corridor” and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway have proven that the joint actions of Azerbaijan and Georgia not only support their own economies, but also strengthen the transport and energy security of the Eurasian space as a whole.

Today, when Georgia has clearly stated its goal of becoming a regional center, Azerbaijan is one of the main pillars in the implementation of this goal. The basis of this process is solidarity. The South Caucasus would not have taken the place on the global logistics map that it has today if it were not for Azerbaijan’s economic strength, transport infrastructure, opportunities in the Caspian basin and industrial policy.

The current geopolitical situation shows that the “middle corridor” is no longer just an alternative route; It is transforming into one of the main elements of Eurasian economic security.

Farid Shafiyev, Chairman of the Center for Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center), noted that today, in a world full of instability, transport is a complex matter. The development of transport routes is no longer considered only in terms of economic advantage — it is a strategic necessity: the “Middle Corridor” does not only mean transporting cargo from one point to another; it contributes to the development of infrastructure and customs procedures, the activation and acceleration of trade, and also provides for the effective implementation of the project. The countries of the Caspian region and Central Asia are cooperating to create a more robust and integrated “East-West” trade network.

According to F. Shafiyev, his approach to development that brings economic benefits will contribute to regional brotherhood, mutual trust, and long-term stability. He noted that Azerbaijan is also promoting new formats for regional cooperation: “These initiatives demonstrate that the countries of the region are increasingly striving to formalize their future through practical cooperation.” “This is associated with great responsibility.”

According to him, one of the main opportunities for future cooperation is the development of transport links. These links make Azerbaijan and Georgia partners in the strategy that unites Europe and Asia.

In this regard, the deep-water port of Anaklia is of particular strategic importance. The implementation of this plan will create new opportunities in the direction of the Black Sea, which will contribute to the growth of cargo flows and the competitiveness of the “middle corridor”. The development of the port will also pave the way for a new stage in Azerbaijani-Georgian transport cooperation. According to the main representative of BMTM, Nasib Mirzayeva, the deep-water infrastructure of the Anaklia port will allow the port to receive large-sized ships and serve a larger volume of cargo. This will expand Georgia's transit capabilities and increase the overall potential of the "middle corridor".

The participation of Azerbaijani companies and logistics institutions in this process can strengthen the Baku-Tbilisi strategic partnership. Azerbaijan and Georgia are not competitors in this partnership, on the contrary, they are strategic partners that combine transport and logistics capabilities and complement each other.

Therefore, the combination of maritime facilities created by Azerbaijan in the Caspian basin and Georgia's exit to the Black Sea enhances the regional information role of both countries and strengthens international relations in the world. This allows it to become an important logistical bridge between Europe and Asia. The productive use of transit potential accelerates economic development and creates new investment and trade opportunities.

This demonstrates that in the new reality, Azerbaijan and Georgia are not competitors, but rather partners in a strategy that complements each other. The future development of the region depends on the deepening of this relationship, the successful implementation of transport projects and the formalization of a single logistics space.

In fact, the growing role of the South Caucasus in world trade indicates that one of the important economic routes of the future passes through Baku and Tbilisi. The strategic transport capabilities of Azerbaijan and the transit potential of Georgia will strengthen the region and make it one of the important centers of global logistics.

Punhan Efendiev

"People's Newspaper"

Source: darvaz.com