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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Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.
Afghanistan and Belarus have agreed to advance joint industrial projects, investment and technical cooperation following talks in Minsk, as Kabul seeks Belarusian machinery and support to develop domestic manufacturing.
Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are drawing up a new programme aimed at boosting bilateral trade to $1 billion by 2030, as the two countries move to deepen economic and industrial ties.
Syria says it assured Israel that Türkiye had no plans to establish a military presence at the Abu al-Duhur airbase before Israeli forces struck the site on Tuesday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued his strongest warning yet over Türkiye's growing military role in Syria, saying Israel will not accept Turkish forces expanding their presence further south.
Azerbaijan’s support for Ukraine could provide a model for neighbouring countries seeking to strengthen their sovereignty, the director of development at an organisation supporting Ukraine’s armed forces has told AnewZ.
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