Georgia has secured two major financial commitments this week, with one aimed at easing road congestion around the capital and the other at strengthening the country's banking safety net.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 250 million loan to fund the construction of a bypass road around Tbilisi. The project involves building a four-lane highway spanning nearly 19 kilometres from Tbilisi International Airport through Lochini to Rustavi.
The bypass forms part of Georgia's East-West Highway and lies within CAREC Corridor 2, a transport route linking Central Asia with Europe. Once completed, it is expected to divert through traffic away from the capital, reducing congestion and travel times while improving freight reliability for exporters and transit operators.
ADB Country Director for Georgia Lesley Bearman Lahm said the project reflects the bank's broader strategy of helping Georgia develop as a regional transport hub.
The loan adds to more than USD 2.3 billion that the ADB has already committed to Georgia's road network, including the Batumi and Kobuleti bypasses and the Kvesheti–Kobi highway.
Separately, the World Bank has approved a USD 35 million credit line for Georgia's Resolution Fund, a mechanism designed to step in if a commercial bank encounters serious financial difficulties.
Rather than funding day-to-day operations, the credit line will serve as a contingency source of financing and will only be used if the National Bank of Georgia formally decides that a bank should be restructured instead of liquidated. The approach is intended to protect depositors and maintain financial stability without resorting to bank closures.
The loan agreement was signed by Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili and World Bank Regional Director for the South Caucasus Roland Price.
National Bank of Georgia President Natia Turnava said the approval confirms that Georgia's bank resolution framework aligns with international standards.
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You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
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