Diplomacy
Kobakhidze Says TRIPP Complements the Middle Corridor as Cargo Grows Sevenfold
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Georgia's government is positioning itself as a beneficiary, not a casualty, of the US-backed TRIPP route. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said on Imedi TV's Open Air programme that TRIPP is not a competitor to Georgia's route and will in fact be complementary, according to Azernews, published on October 4.
TRIPP, the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, would connect mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenian territory. The Middle Corridor, formally the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, links China and Central Asia with Europe across the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkiye.
Kobakhidze's argument rests on volume. He said cargo turnover on the Middle Corridor has grown sevenfold since 2020, implying that demand is outpacing the capacity of any single path. He said Georgia expects its highway network to be completed by 2031 and is considering expansion of the Anaklia and Poti ports along with upgrades to railways, highways and aviation infrastructure.
The claim is plausible but not yet proven. The sevenfold figure is a government statement and no baseline tonnage was provided. Moreover, TRIPP is not close to operation: Azerbaijan's foreign minister has said physical work is now expected in 2027, with security and operating arrangements still unresolved, according to Eurasianet via OilPrice.com. A route that has not been built cannot yet divert cargo.
What does the complementary thesis mean for business? Georgia's transit economics depend on being the indispensable Black Sea link for Caspian traffic. If TRIPP and the Nakhchivan section add a southern branch toward Turkiye, Georgian ports and railways could see more feeder volumes, but they could also face price competition on some flows. That is why this week's announcement of a roughly $200 million rail connection to Anaklia port is relevant: Tbilisi is investing to secure its place regardless of how the map evolves.
Investors should watch three indicators: published corridor tonnage data, the tender and financing timeline for Anaklia, and clarity on TRIPP's operator and security model. Until those firm up, the public message of complementarity is a strategic position rather than a forecast.
