Astana, Kazakhstan — Kazakhstan and Georgia elevated their bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership on Monday as President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze signed a joint statement following high-level talks in Astana, marking a new chapter in cooperation between the two countries.
During the official visit, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to expanding collaboration across trade, investment, energy, transport, digital innovation, tourism, and cultural exchanges.
On the sidelines of the talks, Kazakhstan and Georgia signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) covering cooperation in culture, tourism, and artificial intelligence and digital development, according to Kazakhstan’s presidential press service, Akorda.
The leaders also explored ways to boost bilateral trade and investment while strengthening energy cooperation, including increasing Kazakh oil exports through the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, a key energy corridor linking the Caspian region to global markets.
A major focus of the discussions was the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor), which both sides agreed to further develop by upgrading transport and logistics infrastructure, expanding container traffic, harmonizing tariff policies, and accelerating digitalization of cross-border operations. According to the Kazakh presidency, cargo transit along the Middle Corridor has increased 3.5-fold over the past five years, underscoring its growing strategic importance for Eurasian connectivity.
Kazakhstan also expressed interest in expanding its logistical presence at Georgia’s Black Sea ports beyond Batumi, with increased cooperation envisioned at the ports of Poti and the developing Anaklia Deep Sea Port.
Concluding the visit, President Tokayev awarded Prime Minister Kobakhidze Kazakhstan’s Order of Dostyk (Friendship), First Class, in recognition of his significant contribution to strengthening bilateral ties. Presenting the state honor, Tokayev described the Georgian Prime Minister as a friend of Kazakhstan, a visionary leader, and a dedicated statesman, while commending Georgia’s socio-economic reforms and reaffirming Kazakhstan’s commitment to broadening its strategic partnership with Tbilisi.
The establishment of the strategic partnership reflects both nations’ shared ambition to deepen political dialogue, expand economic cooperation, and strengthen regional connectivity between Central Asia and the South Caucasus.
