Georgian deputy finance minister: Middle Corridor becoming Asia-Europe energy bridge

The Middle Corridor is now moving beyond its transport role, evolving into a strategic platform for energy connectivity between Asia and Europe and shaping a new model of regional security and resilience, Georgian Deputy Finance Minister Ekaterine Guntsadze said at a seminar on the prospects for creating an Asian supergrid, held as part of the 59th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Samarkand.

Report quotes her as saying the region"s energy agenda is expanding rapidly.

She said the modern energy system is no longer limited to electricity alone. Oil and gas pipelines crossing Georgia have long enabled the transit of Azerbaijani energy resources to Türkiye and onward to Europe.

"We are now discussing the next step - the construction of an electricity cable under the Black Sea toward Europe. These are complex and capital-intensive projects, both geopolitically and geotechnically. The region has challenging terrain, including mountains, numerous rivers, and rich natural resources, all of which infrastructure must pass through. Even the construction of hydropower plants requires difficult public and economic dialogue," Guntsadze noted.

She stressed that such projects require thorough planning and extensive public communication in order to strike a balance between commercial efficiency, financial viability, and energy security objectives.

The deputy minister also emphasized that while European experience remains important, the South Caucasus and Asian countries have their own specific characteristics that require tailored solutions.

"We are talking about an entirely new level of network connectivity that has never existed before, including through subsea cables in the Caspian and Black seas. In effect, we are creating an energy Middle Corridor. While the concept was previously discussed mainly in the context of road and rail routes, today we are speaking about a new stage - energy integration," she said.

According to Guntsadze, regardless of whether it is described as the historic Silk Road, the modern Middle Corridor, CAREC 2 under the ADB framework, or the Trans-Caspian route, the direction itself has already proven its viability.

"Today, this is the only secure alternative to the traditional northern and southern routes," she concluded.