The official visit of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze to Kazakhstan marked a new stage in bilateral relations. Following the talks, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and the Georgian Prime Minister signed a Joint Statement establishing a strategic partnership between the two countries. The parties also agreed to develop a comprehensive roadmap for cooperation focused on energy, transport and logistics infrastructure, digitalization, agriculture, investment, and tourism.
Particular attention was devoted to the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor), expanding Kazakhstan's presence in Georgia's port infrastructure, digitalizing transport processes, and implementing new joint investment projects.
In an interview with Chekpoint.kz, Orkhan Yolchuyev, Director of the Azerbaijani think tank CASPIA Analytical Center, explained why Kazakhstan–Georgia relations have entered a qualitatively new phase and what this means for the broader Eurasian region.

— President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized that the Georgian Prime Minister's visit is important for strengthening the Kazakhstan–Georgia partnership. In your view, which areas of cooperation offer the greatest potential?
— There remains enormous untapped potential for further cooperation between our two countries. Indeed, this was precisely the central message conveyed by the leaders during their discussions. It is important to emphasize that relations between Kazakhstan and Georgia have evolved from economic cooperation into a genuine strategic partnership. Whereas bilateral engagement was previously centered primarily on trade, today we are witnessing an entirely different level of relations based on long-term strategic interests.
The cornerstone of this cooperation is becoming connectivity projects, above all the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, commonly known as the Middle Corridor. Kazakhstan and Georgia are among the key countries shaping this strategic transport route.
Today, many international experts increasingly view the transport systems of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye as a single interconnected space. It is across this geographical area that a new architecture of logistics cooperation is taking shape, gradually evolving into broader economic integration.
It is also worth noting that since 2025, Georgia has significantly intensified its engagement with the countries of Central Asia, with Kazakhstan occupying a central place in this policy. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has already visited Kazakhstan on several occasions, followed by official visits to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. His current visit to Kazakhstan is therefore no coincidence but reflects objective geopolitical and economic realities. We are witnessing profound transformations in both global geopolitics and the world economy.
Over recent years, Kazakhstan has invested approximately US$500 million in Georgia's economy, making it one of the country's largest foreign investors. At the same time, Georgian investment in Kazakhstan has grown substantially, exceeding US$300 million. The cumulative volume of mutual investment now surpasses that of virtually all previous decades of the two countries' independence.
This demonstrates that the two economies are becoming increasingly complementary. In essence, Tbilisi is currently developing its own strategy for engagement with Central Asia, with Kazakhstan occupying a pivotal position within that strategy.

It is therefore no coincidence that the Georgian Prime Minister was awarded the Order of Dostyk (Friendship), First Class. This recognition carries not only symbolic value but also considerable political significance.
A glance at the map makes it clear that Georgia serves as Central Asia's western gateway to Europe. Much of Tbilisi's current diplomatic activity is aimed at consolidating this strategic role.
For Kazakhstan, meanwhile, strengthening relations with Georgia means diversifying transport routes, expanding foreign trade, and broadening its external partnerships.
Georgian ports play a particularly important role in this regard. The Batumi Oil Terminal is operated by the Kazakh company KazTransOil, Kazakhstan continues to invest actively in the infrastructure of the Port of Poti, and there is growing interest in participating in the development of the Anaklia Deep Sea Port. Another highly promising area is the transportation of Kazakh oil via the Baku–Supsa pipeline.
Furthermore, the continued modernization of Georgia's railway infrastructure is becoming a critical prerequisite for increasing freight volumes along the Middle Corridor. Today, all of these issues have acquired strategic importance for both countries.

— What drives Georgia's interest in strengthening cooperation with Kazakhstan? And how does President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's foreign policy influence the development of bilateral relations?
— Georgia's interest in Kazakhstan is driven by both economic and geopolitical considerations.
Today, Tbilisi is actively expanding its partnerships not only with Europe but also with Asian countries. Georgia is strengthening cooperation with China, increasing its presence in Asian markets, and seeking to deepen its ties with the countries of Central Asia.
Against the backdrop of current international turbulence, the transformation of transatlantic relations, and the search for new economic opportunities, Central Asia has become one of Georgia's key foreign policy priorities.
From a geopolitical perspective, Kazakhstan holds particular importance for Georgia as the largest economy in Central Asia, accounting for approximately 60 percent of the region's combined GDP.
For Tbilisi, cooperation with such a partner translates into increased cargo flows through Georgia's Black Sea ports, greater investment inflows, and a stronger position as a transport hub linking East and West.
In addition, Kazakhstan possesses substantial reserves of oil, uranium, grain, and other strategically important resources. For Georgia, this presents an opportunity to establish itself as a critical transit link connecting the Caspian region with European markets.
For his part, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has pursued a highly pragmatic multi-vector foreign policy, making Kazakhstan an attractive partner for a broad range of international actors.
Astana's foreign policy is aimed at developing constructive relations with all major global centres of power while avoiding involvement in confrontational geopolitical scenarios. This significantly enhances Kazakhstan's attractiveness as a partner for Georgia as well.

Equally important is the fact that Kazakhstan is increasingly perceived as a country capable of serving as a reliable bridge between Europe, Russia, China, and the United States.
For these reasons, it is fair to say that Kazakhstan and Georgia are gradually emerging as natural strategic partners. In today's international environment, connectivity, transport corridors, and logistics are becoming increasingly central to global politics.
Within this evolving framework, both countries are assuming complementary roles within a broader Eurasian connectivity network, objectively positioning them as natural strategic partners.

— The leaders of the two countries placed particular emphasis on signing the Joint Statement on Strategic Partnership. In your opinion, what practical significance will this document have for the future development of bilateral relations?
— The signing of the Joint Statement on Strategic Partnership carries far greater significance than may appear at first glance.
Viewed in a broader context, Kazakhstan has, for many years, been developing either strategic partnerships or allied relations with the countries of the Caspian region, Central Asia, and Türkiye. In many respects, Georgia was the missing link in this regional framework. The signing of this agreement effectively fills that gap.
Most importantly, the document establishes a permanent mechanism for strategic dialogue between the two countries. Cooperation will no longer be limited to high-level contacts between political leaders but will extend to regular interaction among governments, parliaments, sectoral ministries, the business community, and expert institutions.
This significantly enhances the predictability of bilateral relations.
Predictability is of critical importance to international businesses and investors. A strategic partnership helps reduce political risks associated with joint projects while creating a more stable, transparent, and predictable investment environment.
Furthermore, this framework creates new opportunities for launching larger-scale initiatives, particularly in the fields of infrastructure, transport, and logistics. Above all, it provides a stronger institutional foundation for the further development of the Middle Corridor.
For these reasons, the Joint Statement should be seen as marking the transition of Kazakhstan–Georgia relations to a fundamentally new stage of institutionalized strategic cooperation.
— The Prime Minister of Georgia specifically praised President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's leadership, noting that Kazakhstan has achieved remarkable progress under his guidance. In your view, what does such an assessment signify?

— Such remarks should certainly not be viewed as mere diplomatic courtesy. Through his active foreign policy, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has earned considerable respect within international organizations and among world leaders. This, in turn, has significantly enhanced Kazakhstan's standing on the international stage.
Today, Kazakhstan is widely perceived as a country that enjoys a high degree of trust in international affairs.
This is largely attributable to President Tokayev's consistent pursuit of a pragmatic multi-vector foreign policy, combined with his ability to preserve the country's domestic political stability.
It is precisely this combination of factors that has fostered a favorable political environment and positioned Kazakhstan as an attractive and reliable partner for international cooperation.
Kazakhstan's geographical location is another important consideration.
On one side, it borders Russia, which has been involved in a large-scale military conflict for several years. On the other, the Caspian region itself remains a complex security environment. At the same time, developments surrounding Iran—facing international sanctions and significant domestic and external challenges—continue to influence the broader regional landscape.
Kazakhstan also shares a border with China, one of the world's largest economies and an increasingly influential global actor.
Despite operating in such a challenging geopolitical environment, Kazakhstan has maintained internal stability while pursuing a balanced and pragmatic foreign policy under President Tokayev's leadership.
This has become one of the key factors underpinning the confidence of Kazakhstan's international partners.
For foreign governments and investors alike, political stability, policy predictability, and the ability to pursue balanced diplomacy have become among the most important criteria when selecting long-term partners.
In this regard, Kazakhstan today occupies a particularly strong position.

— President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed giving the strategic partnership a clear institutional framework by developing a joint roadmap focused on energy, investment, transport, agriculture, digitalization, tourism, and other promising areas. How timely is this initiative?
— In my view, the sectors identified by President Tokayev—energy, agriculture, digitalization, transport, logistics, and tourism—represent precisely those areas that offer the greatest potential for expanding bilateral cooperation at the present stage.
In the near term, these sectors are expected to serve as the primary vehicles for implementing the agreements reached during the Prime Minister's visit and formalized in the documents signed by both sides.
For this reason, the proposal to develop a joint roadmap is of fundamental importance.
International practice demonstrates that the success of bilateral relations is not measured by the number of declarations, memoranda, or agreements signed. Rather, it depends on how effectively the implementation mechanisms behind those commitments are designed and executed.
A roadmap makes it possible to establish clear timelines, allocate responsibilities among the relevant government institutions, and ensure effective monitoring of agreed objectives.
Today, growing geopolitical risks, sanctions, and shifts in global trade patterns are compelling countries to seek not only alternative transport routes but also new markets and new models of economic cooperation.

In this context, cooperation between Kazakhstan and Georgia fully reflects the emerging logic of regional connectivity.
What we are witnessing is the gradual emergence of a new architecture of regional cooperation and a new form of regionalism.
Only a few years ago, countries in our region were largely perceived as being on the periphery of the global economy. Today, they are increasingly shaping the economic and geopolitical dynamics of entire regions.
Both Kazakhstan and Georgia possess comparative advantages that complement one another.
Georgia, for example, continues to depend on the Russian market in several sectors, including grain supplies. However, new opportunities are emerging to diversify these supply chains.
Kazakhstan, meanwhile, is the economic engine of Central Asia. The country possesses some of the world's largest reserves of uranium, oil, and rare earth metals, while continuing to invest heavily in the development of transport infrastructure.
Until only a few years ago, Kazakhstan also relied heavily on traditional transport routes passing through Russia. However, thanks to the large-scale expansion of its railway network and the construction of the East–West transport corridor linking the Chinese border with the Caspian coast, this dependence has been substantially reduced.
At the same time, it is evident that no country can establish a fully functional international transport corridor on its own.
Access to European markets requires close coordination among all states located along the transport chain.
This is precisely why the South Caucasus has acquired strategic importance for Kazakhstan.
After crossing the Caspian Sea, cargo moves through Azerbaijan and then via Georgia to the Black Sea and onward to European markets.
Within this emerging connectivity framework, Georgia's transport and logistics infrastructure has become an indispensable component of the new Eurasian transport architecture.
— Kazakhstan is seeking to expand its presence in Georgia's port infrastructure. How do you assess the country's efforts in this area, and more broadly, Kazakhstan's progress in developing its transport and logistics sector?
— Kazakhstan has already established a strong position within Georgia's port infrastructure.
As is well known, the Batumi Oil Terminal is fully operated by the Kazakh company KazTransOil, whose management rights over this strategic asset extend until 2055.
This makes the Batumi terminal one of Kazakhstan's most significant infrastructure assets abroad.
It is important to recognize that the Port of Batumi is one of the key components of the Middle Corridor.
Through this gateway, Kazakhstan gains an alternative export route for oil, petroleum products, and grain to European and Mediterranean markets, thereby reducing its reliance on traditional transit corridors.
For Tbilisi, cooperation with Kazakhstan translates into stable transit flows, increased investment, and the continued development of Georgia's transport infrastructure.
Another important milestone was the opening of a new container terminal at the Port of Poti last year, developed through the joint participation of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.
This is another strategically significant project within the framework of the Middle Corridor.
The terminal has an initial annual capacity of approximately 80,000 TEUs, with considerable potential for future expansion.
The Anaklia Deep Sea Port also remains one of the region's most promising infrastructure projects.
I am convinced that Kazakhstan will continue expanding its involvement in this initiative.
Once operational, Anaklia has the potential to fundamentally reshape Eurasia's logistics architecture by significantly increasing the efficiency and capacity of cargo transportation across the Black Sea.
Another strategic asset deserving particular attention is the Supsa oil terminal, connected to the Baku–Supsa pipeline.
In recent years, there has been growing discussion about transporting Kazakh oil to European markets via this route. During his remarks, President Tokayev highlighted plans to increase exports through the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline. At the same time, recent developments should also be taken into account.
Only recently, BP transferred the pipeline's operational responsibilities to Azerbaijan's state energy company, SOCAR.
This development has given renewed momentum to discussions on transporting additional volumes of Kazakh oil through this corridor.
More broadly, we are witnessing a fundamental transformation of global geopolitics.
Whereas a state's influence was once measured primarily by its military capabilities, strategic importance is now increasingly determined by its transport corridors, seaports, railway networks, aviation connectivity, and digital infrastructure.
This is precisely why cooperation between Central Asia and the South Caucasus is deepening at an unprecedented pace.
Kazakhstan requires reliable and diversified access to the Black Sea and European markets.
Georgia, in turn, is interested in expanding transit flows, attracting investment, and developing its strategic infrastructure.
In this sense, Kazakhstan and Georgia are not competitors; rather, they are mutually complementary partners.
The newly established strategic partnership therefore reflects a much broader transformation taking place in global geopolitics and geoeconomics.
The international system is becoming increasingly decentralized, with growing emphasis placed on the management of transport corridors, logistics networks, seaports, railway infrastructure, aviation links, and digital connectivity. These are the assets that are increasingly defining geopolitical influence and strategic relevance in the twenty-first century.