Irakli Nemsadze, head of the Georgian Land Transport Association, has called for a reassessment of Georgia’s strategic approach to the Middle Corridor, citing changes in the region that have added a new “Trump route” to part of Georgia’s section of the transit corridor.
Speaking on BMG TV’s program Analytics, Nemsadze emphasized that Georgia must remain an active participant in regional processes, especially amid U.S. Vice President visits to the South Caucasus, and must seek to maximize benefits from these developments. “Georgia should be as close as possible to these processes and extract maximum dividends from them,” he said.
Nemsadze explained that while the introduction of the “Trump route” could result in Georgia losing a portion of transit cargo in the short term, with prudent policy the country can maintain its status as a primary transit hub. He highlighted that improved regional relations, historically adversarial neighbors such as Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey, create both risks and opportunities. Georgia could remain a dominant transit route if it properly manages tariffs, regional policies, and infrastructure projects.
He further stressed the need for a strategic update given the evolving geopolitical landscape. Previously, Georgia’s role in the Middle Corridor was viewed as exclusive, but with the emergence of alternative corridors such as the BRICS route, the country must now develop a strategy that considers both competition and cooperation. Nemsadze also noted that communication between the state and private sector on this matter has been limited, although he expects renewed dialogue and planning in the near future.
