World Bank Outlines Strategy to Quadruple Middle Corridor Trade

The World Bank Group launched a flagship report and strategy on October 1 to transform the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, also known as the Middle Corridor, into a competitive trade link between Asia and Europe by 2040. The initiative was presented during the Regional Connectivity Forum and the CAMCA 2026 Regional Forum in Baku, involving officials from Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Türkiye.

The report projects that coordinated investments in infrastructure, digitalization, and policy reforms could triple trade volumes and halve travel times. With further investment in trade facilitation and cross-border cooperation, the World Bank estimates volumes could quadruple and travel times could be reduced by two-thirds. These improvements are expected to increase GDP across nine covered countries by 3.3 percent and create 22 million jobs. For Georgia specifically, the bank projects a 3.61% GDP growth and employment gains of 0.79% by 2040.

World Bank Regional Director for the South Caucasus Rolande Simone Pryce emphasized that the corridor should foster interregional business rather than serving as a simple transit route. The World Bank Group currently holds $7 billion in commitments across the corridor, including a $372 million project approved in June 2026 to enhance Georgia's accessibility and transport infrastructure.