Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Kazakhstan signed a quadripartite declaration "On the Trans-Caspian East-West Corridor," which emphasises the importance of using the Trans-Caspian East-West Corridor and outlines steps to strengthen the transit potential of the states participating in the declaration. This is stated in the statement of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia.

“The document also noted the important role of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway line in the development of competitive transport between Europe and Asia, attention was paid to the importance of completing construction works to improve the capacity of the railway line, which will strengthen the railway line,” the statement added. The declaration also highlights the "significant need" for infrastructure investment to improve the quality of transport operations along this route.

“Active negotiations are underway with the Kazakh side on the transportation of additional volumes of oil and oil products in the transport corridor of Georgia. In particular, in 2022-2023, it is planned to transport about two million tons of oil and oil products of Kazakh origin through the Batumi oil terminal,” said Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia Guram Guramishvili.

According to him, Georgian Railway is also actively working to attract dry cargo to the middle corridor. The deputy minister noted that by comparing the statistics of goods transported by international rail transport, it becomes clear that, despite the pandemic, this indicator is characterised by growth dynamics, highlighting the competitiveness of the Georgian corridor.

In 2021, the volume of goods transported by international rail transport amounted to 10.2 million tons, which is 11.3% more than in 2020. In 2021, the number of containers transported by the BTK (Gardabani-Akhalkalaki and vice versa) amounted to 20,492 TEU, which is 95.7% more than in 2020, while in 2021 the number of containers sent from China and to China along the middle corridor amounted to 10,094 TEU, which is 221.6% more than in 2020, Guramishvili said.

“As for the freight turnover at the beginning of 2022, in January-February 2022, the volume of goods transported by international rail transport amounted to 1.8 million tons, which is 10.7% more than in the same period in 2021 and amounts to 1.6 million tons. At the same time, in the reporting period, in January-February 2022, the number of containers shipped by BTK (Gardabani-Akhalkalaki and vice versa) amounted to 4.074 TEU, which is 78.2% more than in the same period of 2021 (2.286 TEU),” said Guram Guramishvili.

In March, it was reported that Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Georgia will create a joint venture to develop the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR). This was announced at a meeting of the Operational Headquarters for anti-crisis measures, where the results of the negotiations on the development of the Trans-Caspian international transport route and issues of transportation of Kazakhstani cargo were discussed.

Negotiations were held between representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia to ensure the transportation of Kazakh and transit cargo.

Also, in early April it was reported that a Memorandum of Understanding on "Caucasian Eagle exercise of Special Forces" between Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Georgia will be approved, according to the draft law "On approval of Memorandum of Understanding Caucasian Eagle exercise of Special Forces among the Governments of the Republics of Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Georgia," which was included in the agenda of the meeting of the International Relations and ICT Committee.

It is important to note that Kazakhstan is working to reroute its export and transit goods through alternate South Caucasus pathways because of international sanctions imposed on Russia for its conflict in Ukraine.

"Right now, work is being done to divert freight traffic along the Trans-Caspian International Transborder Route and TRACECA, which runs through Azerbaijan and Georgia," Kazakhstan's Prime Minister's press office announced.

During a government meeting, Kazakhstan's Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Kairbek Uskenbaev stated that an agreement was made with Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey to form a joint venture under the TTIR, commonly known as the Middle Corridor. Starting in Southeast Asia and China, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route passes through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, and on to other European nations. The route's regular feeder line has included Georgia's Batumi and Poti Black Sea ports, and the state-run Georgian Railway has been a regular member of the route's coordinating committee.