ASTANA – The Kazakh government is determined to make every effort to ensure that the Kazakh-Georgian partnership develops dynamically in all fields, said Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov during an Aug. 1 meeting with Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili in Almaty, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.
Alikhan Smailov and Irakli Garibashvili. Photo credit: Prime Minister’s press service.
According to Smailov, Georgia is an important and reliable partner of Kazakhstan in the South Caucasus. During the meeting, the sides addressed advancing trade, transport, and logistics cooperation.
Smailov focused on the significance of the transit and transport sphere, emphasizing that the countries are enhancing partnerships to facilitate the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), or the Middle Corridor. Over six months, the volume of cargo transportation along the route has increased by 77% and reached 1.3 million tons.
According to Smailov, the interstate agreements strengthened the development of this corridor, promoting digitalization, ensuring stable transportation tariffs, and creating a single logistics operator along the route.
“We are interested in increasing the transport connectivity of the region and in consistently improving transit conditions,” Smailov said.
Garibashvili, in turn, confirmed Georgia’s readiness to strengthen effective cooperation with Kazakhstan across the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation.
“Earlier, we discussed ambitious plans for the implementation of projects that are of interest to both countries. We pay great attention to the development of the Middle Corridor and joint plans in this direction. The countries have signed the corresponding roadmap. I believe our cooperation will continue to be effective,” Garibashvili said.
Over the past six months, the trade volume between the countries has grown by almost 30% and reached $190 million. However, the relevant intergovernmental commission seeks to increase the figure.
