Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has departed for an official visit to Tajikistan, continuing a series of foreign trips to Central Asian states amid what appears to be a cooling in Tbilisi’s relations with Western partners.

According to the Georgian government administration, Kobakhidze will be received in Dushanbe by Tajik Prime Minister Kohir Rasulzoda. The visit also includes a planned meeting with President Emomali Rahmon, after which the leaders are expected to issue joint statements to the press, News.Az reports, citing News Georgia.

The Georgian delegation is also scheduled to hold talks with senior representatives of the Tajik parliament. Accompanying the prime minister are Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili, as well as the ministers of economy, agriculture, education and culture, along with Head of Government Administration Levan Jorjoliani.

Bochorishvili stressed the strategic importance of ties with Central Asian states, saying: “Relations with Central Asian countries are important and a priority for us, since Georgia is an important transit country for them. In this context, it is necessary to strengthen economic and trade ties, as well as cooperation between countries in various fields. We are also interested in partnership with Central Asian countries within international organisations, and in this context, of course, this visit is important, as it will contribute to the development and strengthening of our relations.”

According to News Georgia, the visit comes just a week after the first-ever official visit by a Georgian prime minister to Kyrgyzstan, during which the two sides discussed the development of transport corridors, logistics and energy cooperation.

In recent months, Kobakhidze’s foreign travel has increasingly shifted towards Asia, the Middle East and the post-Soviet space. Over the past year, in addition to Kyrgyzstan, he has visited Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates and Armenia. A recurring theme in these talks has been the expansion of Georgia’s transit potential and the strengthening of economic ties with countries located along key routes between Europe and Asia.

News.Az