Fifth Tbilisi Silk Road Forum Kicks Off
Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze opened the two-day Tbilisi Silk Road Forum, held under the theme “Invest in Connectivity – Grow in Stability.” Held biennially since 2015, the forum this year focuses on “the future of global trade, the potential of the Middle Corridor, energy integration, and digital transformation,” Kobakhidze said in his opening remarks.
The Prime Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Nikol Pashinyan and Ali Asadov, also addressed the participants.
Kobakhidze’s Opening Speech
In his opening address, Irakli Kobakhidze said the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum has evolved from a platform for dialogue into an “effective instrument for regional and global cooperation, where ideas are transformed into real projects.”
Welcoming his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts, Kobakhidze said their participation “reaffirms that the South Caucasus countries share a common vision to turn our region, through joint efforts, into a space of peace, stability, and economic opportunities,” adding, “Tbilisi Silk Road Forum has always been and will remain the most important platform for regional dialogue.”
“We are also very pleased to welcome high-ranking guests from Europe, Central Asia, and other parts of the world, including representatives of authoritative international organizations such as the Vice President of the Asian Development Bank and the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, whose participation gives this forum a truly global dimension.”
He said that holding the Forum in Georgia is “symbolic,” noting that the country “has historically been, and continues to be, a bridge connecting the civilizations of East and West.” In the context of today’s challenges and opportunities, he added, the idea of the historic Silk Road has acquired “a completely new and crucial significance.”
“The main theme of this year’s forum – Invest in Connectivity, Grow in Stability – is a direct response to these new challenges,” Kobakhidze said, adding that this slogan also “precisely reflects Georgia’s state policy.”
According to Kobakhidze, as the world reassesses traditional trade routes and seeks new supply chains, the Georgian Dream government’s efforts are focused on “ensuring and strengthening peace,” which he described as a “necessary condition for turning Georgia into a solid axis of the region’s economic and logistics center.”
“We believe that peace, stability, and predictability are the most important capital we can offer to our partners and investors,” he stressed.
Kobakhidze then pointed to Georgia’s “unique geographic location,” saying that its role was reinforced by the Georgian Dream government’s “proactive foreign policy.” He cited free trade agreements with the EU, China, the UK, the UAE, and other regional partners, as well as large-scale infrastructure projects “such as the Black Sea Submarine Cable Project, which will connect the region’s renewable energy to the European market – all of which create unique business opportunities.”
In his words, achieving sustainable development in today’s world “requires mastering new dimensions of connectivity: energy corridors, digital highways, and the free movement of capital.”
Kobakhidze further welcomed that, within the framework of the forum, Tbilisi’s Financial Summit is held for the first time, in partnership with Singaporean partners. According to Kobakhidze, this summit’s effort is to “establish our capital as the regional center for financial and technological innovation.”
Kobakhidze said that “numerous initiatives have been born at the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum and transformed into real projects,” citing, among others, the 2023 agreement between Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan to establish a joint railway company. “Our partner, the Asian Development Bank’s three-billion-dollar portfolio in Georgia, is further proof of this success,” he added.
“I am convinced that these two days will mark the beginning of new ideas, strengthened partnerships, and shared success. I wish you fruitful discussions and every success,” Kobakhidze concluded.
Kobakhidze’s Meeting with Nikol Pashinyan
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan arrived in Tbilisi a day before the start of the forum and met with Irakli Kobakhidze to discuss “key bilateral and regional issues.” “I am confident that this meeting will further strengthen cooperation between Georgia and Armenia,” Kobakhidze wrote on X.
“Had a productive meeting with PM Kobakhidze in Tbilisi. We discussed the Armenia-Georgia strategic partnership in the areas of trade, infrastructure and culture, as well prospects of regional cooperation. I highly value our active political dialogue and friendship,” Pashinyan wrote after the meeting.
Kobakhidze Talks with Ali Asadov
Irakli Kobakhidze has met with Azerbaijan’s Prime Minister Ali Asadov following the opening of the forum. “We reaffirmed our strategic partnership grounded in shared values and mutual respect. We discussed further deepening of economic ties, transport and energy linkages, and our joint commitment to peace and stability in the South Caucasus.”
More to follow…
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