Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's official visit to Kyrgyzstan marks a significant milestone in bilateral relations, as it is the first such visit by a Georgian head of government since the two countries established diplomatic ties following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The trip has attracted considerable attention among political observers, raising questions about why Tbilisi has chosen to prioritise Kyrgyzstan at this particular moment.

The visit comes amid growing efforts by Georgia to strengthen ties with Central Asian countries and expand its role as a strategic bridge between Europe and Asia. As regional trade routes become increasingly important, particularly within the framework of the Middle Corridor, cooperation with countries such as Kyrgyzstan has assumed greater significance for Georgia's economic and geopolitical interests.

Analysts note that the visit reflects a broader shift in Georgia's foreign policy priorities, with greater emphasis on economic diplomacy, transit connectivity and engagement with emerging regional partners. At the same time, the historic nature of the trip has sparked debate about its long-term implications for Georgia's presence in Central Asia and the future trajectory of Georgian-Kyrgyz relations.

In an interview with News.Az, Georgian political scientist Levan Mamaladze said that Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's visit to Kyrgyzstan should be viewed as a highly positive development, particularly in light of the geopolitical and economic processes currently unfolding across the world, Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

Photo: Georgian political scientist Levan Mamaladze

According to Mamaladze, the visit is significant because it marks the first official trip of its kind to Kyrgyzstan and is driven by several important economic and strategic considerations. He noted that Kyrgyzstan has become one of the leading destinations for Georgian exports, largely due to re-export operations.

"Vehicles purchased by Georgian companies in the United States, Europe and other markets are often shipped to Kyrgyzstan, from where they are redistributed to other countries in the region. As a result, re-export activities have made Kyrgyzstan one of Georgia's most important trading partners," he said.

The expert also emphasised Kyrgyzstan's strategic geopolitical location, pointing out that the country is connected to major transport routes originating in China, similar to those passing through Kazakhstan. In his view, this gives Kyrgyzstan a crucial role in the future development of rail links between Central Asia and the Caucasus.

"Strengthening these transport connections could significantly improve trade flows and regional logistics," Mamaladze stressed.

He argued that numerous factors are increasing the importance of this direction. "While the transport route passing through Kazakhstan is already heavily utilised, the Kyrgyz route still has considerable untapped potential," the expert said.

He explained that certain logistical and regulatory issues involving Turkmenistan have limited cargo volumes passing through the port city of Turkmenbashi. Nevertheless, he believes there remains substantial potential to increase freight traffic from China and Central Asia to the South Caucasus and onwards to Türkiye and Europe.

According to the political scientist, these issues are likely to occupy an important place in discussions between the Georgian and Kyrgyz leaderships. He stressed that the matter is of strategic significance not only for Georgia and Kyrgyzstan but also for Azerbaijan, the South Caucasus as a whole and the further development of the Middle Corridor.

Current trends and forecasts, he argued, indicate that amid ongoing conflicts and geopolitical tensions across the wider region, the Middle Corridor is increasingly demonstrating its value as one of the most stable, secure and efficient routes for transporting goods from China to Europe and other international markets.

Mamaladze further noted that Kyrgyzstan has an important role to play within this framework. "Greater utilisation of the route would generate significant economic benefits for the country itself," he said.

He expressed confidence that discussions would focus on expanding bilateral cooperation and suggested that Georgia's experience in transit management, logistics and regional integration could prove useful to Kyrgyzstan. At the same time, he added that Kyrgyzstan's experience in developing economic and trade relations with China could provide valuable lessons for Georgia.

The expert also highlighted Georgia's historical role in the region, noting that Tbilisi has traditionally been regarded as one of the political and economic centres of the South Caucasus, making Georgia's growing diplomatic engagement with former Soviet republics, including Kyrgyzstan, both natural and strategically important.

At the same time, Mamaladze pointed to Azerbaijan's growing importance in regional affairs. "The period following the end of the Karabakh conflict has created new opportunities for stability and economic development across the South Caucasus," the expert said. He expressed hope that unresolved issues between Georgia and Russia, including those related to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, could eventually be addressed through political dialogue and peaceful means.

According to Mamaladze, the era in which major powers could freely manipulate regional conflicts to advance their own geopolitical interests is gradually coming to an end. Similar challenges, he noted, have existed in Central Asia as well. "As regional states gain greater scope for independent policymaking, cooperation is becoming increasingly beneficial for all countries involved," he said.

The political scientist rejected the notion that Georgia is seeking to establish a dominant position in the region. Instead, he argued that Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia should focus on developing a coordinated vision for regional cooperation in both foreign policy and economic affairs. "Such cooperation should include the further development of the Middle Corridor and the effective utilisation of new transport routes emerging across Eurasia," he said.

As an example, Mamaladze pointed to the potential movement of Chinese goods through Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia into Azerbaijan, and then onwards via the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway to Türkiye and European markets. He noted that the railway is currently operating below its full potential despite having the capacity to transport at least five million tonnes of cargo annually. In his view, this presents significant opportunities for both Azerbaijan and Georgia to expand their role in international logistics networks.

He also argued that the Zangezur Corridor could become an additional logistical route complementing the Middle Corridor and creating new opportunities for freight operators and logistics companies. Rather than viewing these projects separately, Mamaladze believes they should be seen as components of a broader regional transport architecture designed to improve connectivity across Eurasia.

"If the countries of the South Caucasus are able to coordinate their foreign policy approaches and economic development strategies more effectively, this will attract greater interest from Central Asian states, China and Western partners," the expert said, adding that such cooperation could stimulate investment, accelerate infrastructure development, increase transit revenues and generate broader economic benefits for the region.

For this reason, Mamaladze views Georgia's growing engagement with Kyrgyzstan not as a one-off diplomatic initiative but as the beginning of a long-term strategic partnership.

"Relations between the two countries are likely to continue expanding in the coming years, contributing to stronger economic cooperation, improved connectivity and the broader integration of the South Caucasus and Central Asia," the expert concluded.

Georgian political analyst Mamuka Areshidze argues that the rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape is significantly increasing the strategic importance of transport and trade corridors linking Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

Photo: Georgian political analyst Mamuka Areshidze

According to him, the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, coupled with tensions between Iran and several Western countries, has reshaped regional economic priorities and encouraged governments to seek alternative routes for trade, energy supplies and logistics.

"These developments have made Eurasian connectivity projects more relevant than at any point in recent years. As traditional transport routes face growing political and security uncertainties, countries across the region are paying greater attention to corridors passing through Central Asia and the South Caucasus," Areshidze said. "This shift is creating new opportunities for transit states to strengthen their economic positions and attract investment in infrastructure, logistics and transport projects."

The analyst noted that Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are increasingly emerging as important regional hubs in Central Asia. Their geographical location, growing transport infrastructure and expanding economic ties with neighbouring countries make them key participants in efforts to improve regional connectivity.

"Against this backdrop, Georgia has a strong interest in deepening cooperation with both countries as part of a broader strategy aimed at integrating itself more closely into Eurasian trade networks," he said.

According to Areshidze, Georgia’s outreach to Central Asia should also be viewed in the context of its wider foreign policy objectives. "At a time when relations between Tbilisi and Brussels continue to experience periodic tensions, the Georgian government is actively seeking to diversify its international partnerships and expand its diplomatic and economic engagement beyond its traditional areas of focus," he said, adding that strengthening ties with Central Asian states allows Georgia to reinforce its role as a bridge between Europe and Asia while reducing its dependence on any single political or economic partner.

The expert further emphasised that Tbilisi is interested not only in expanding cooperation with Central Asian countries but also in strengthening relations with China and other states located along key transport corridors.

"As competition over trade routes and supply chains intensifies, Georgia sees an opportunity to position itself as a critical transit and logistics hub linking East and West," he said.

While Georgia already enjoys strong and well-established relations with its South Caucasus neighbours, Areshidze believes that Central Asia represents one of the most promising directions for future regional cooperation.

"Increased engagement in areas such as transport, trade, investment and infrastructure development could provide tangible economic benefits for all parties involved and contribute to greater regional integration," the expert noted.

"From this perspective, the Georgian Prime Minister’s visit to Kyrgyzstan should not be viewed as an isolated diplomatic event. Rather, it reflects a broader strategic effort by Tbilisi to expand its presence in Central Asia, capitalise on shifting geopolitical and economic trends, and strengthen Georgia’s role within emerging Eurasian connectivity and trade networks," Areshidze concluded.

News.Az