Azerbaijan and Georgia’s leaders met on Monday (6 April) to strengthen ties as the Middle Corridor emerges as a key Asia- Europe link. Talks focused on economic cooperation, infrastructure, and regional stability amid shifting global trade dynamics.
Speaking to AnewZ, Ambassador Valeri Chechelashvili highlighted the growing strategic importance of President Ilham Aliyev’s visit, describing Azerbaijan as “our strategic ally, our partner and friend”.
He outlined that negotiations would focus on three tracks: “bilateral relationship, regional context... and issues of central or Middle Corridor, because it's critically important for Azerbaijan, for Georgia, and for the region as a whole.”
On economic cooperation, the ambassador noted it is “developing dynamically.” While Azerbaijan ranks as Georgia’s fourth-largest trading partner, investments flow in both directions, with Azerbaijan investing $180 million and Georgian companies $90 million last year.
Regarding infrastructure, Chechelashvili highlighted the role of trilateral cooperation between Türkiye, Georgia and Azerbaijan, noting that “we have created all necessary infrastructure-oil and gas pipelines. Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and the highway Baku-Tbilisi-Istanbul will be very soon completed.”
Additional projects include increased gas supplies to Europe and a subsea electricity cable connecting Azerbaijan and Georgia to European networks.
The ambassador also addressed global disruptions, stating that “our corridor, our transport communication corridor, is gaining more and more importance” due to sanctions on Russia and turmoil in Iran.
He highlighted growing regional stability, saying the South Caucasus “is now gaining completely new quality importance”.
Looking ahead, Chechelashvili described the strategic partnership as “a relationship of positive interdependence, because Azerbaijan is the guarantor of Georgia's energy security, and Georgia is a guarantor of safe and guaranteed outreach for export of Azerbaijani oil and gas to the world market.”
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