Tbilisi and Baku have signed a set of agreements covering natural gas and electricity supplies to Georgia, alongside a protocol envisaging the resumption of passenger rail service between the two capitals after a six-year suspension, the Georgian government administration said. The documents were signed following a May 18 meeting in Baku between Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The Georgian Dream government delegation was in Azerbaijan to attend the World Urban Forum (WUF13), organized in partnership with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). The agreements come one month after Aliyev’s visit to Tbilisi, where he met, among others, Georgian Dream founder and honorary chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili.

According to the Georgian government administration, the energy and transport package includes a 20-year intergovernmental agreement defining the main terms of electricity supply and transit between Georgia and Azerbaijan, as well as a 20-year extension of the 2003 agreement on the purchase and sale of Azerbaijani gas. The latter, the administration said, is intended to guarantee the security of Georgia’s social gas supply. The energy agreements were signed by Georgian Dream Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili, Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov, and Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov. The specific terms and conditions of the deals have not been made public.

The sides also signed what the Georgian government described as a “protocol of the bilateral coordination council”. Under this document, the new section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is expected to become fully operational, while daily passenger rail service between Tbilisi and Baku is set to resume on May 26 after a six-year break. The protocol was signed by Kvrivishvili and Azerbaijan’s Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev.

Speaking to Georgian journalists after the signing ceremony, Kobakhidze described the agreements as “important,” placing particular emphasis on arrangements related to the Baku-Tbilisi-Supsa pipeline. He said the pipeline had effectively been inactive for the past three years, depriving Georgia of potential revenue. Under the new agreement, he said, its operation would be restored in cooperation with Azerbaijan. According to Kobakhidze, the pipeline will remain under Georgian ownership, while its proper functioning will be ensured jointly with the Azerbaijani side. He said this would allow Georgia to receive “tens of millions” in annual revenue.

Kobakhidze also framed the agreements within a broader regional connectivity agenda. He said Georgia and Azerbaijan were jointly linking the Caspian Sea with the Black Sea, and, by extension, Europe with Asia. He added that the further development of Georgian-Azerbaijani cooperation has “truly strategic significance,” describing the newly signed agreements as historically important and milestone-level documents.

The agreements followed talks between Kobakhidze and Aliyev, attended by ministers from both countries. According to the Georgian government administration, the meeting focused on the strategic partnership between Georgia and Azerbaijan and prospects for further deepening cooperation. The sides also discussed positive trends in bilateral trade and economic relations and underlined the importance of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation. The Georgian delegation expressed readiness to host the commission’s next session in the near future. Regional and global geopolitical challenges were also discussed, with both sides emphasizing the importance of peace for the sustainable and stable development of the region. The talks also covered regionally significant projects jointly implemented by Georgia and Azerbaijan and their role in strengthening connectivity. In its own statement, the Azerbaijani presidential administration said Aliyev recalled his April state visit to Georgia “with satisfaction,” noting that the visit had contributed to strengthening bilateral relations.

Prior to meeting Aliyev, Kobakhidze addressed the World Urban Forum. In his remarks, he said that alongside Georgia’s strong economic growth in recent years, balanced territorial development and modern urban planning had become key policy priorities. He said Georgia’s objective was not only to expand infrastructure and improve quality of life, but also to ensure that growth remains sustainable, regionally balanced, and centered on citizens’ needs.

Kobakhidze also held several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the forum. During a one-on-one meeting with Tomáš Taraba, Slovakia’s deputy prime minister and minister of environment, the sides discussed what the Georgian government administration described as positive dynamics in bilateral relations and prospects for deepening cooperation across various fields. Kobakhidze emphasized the importance of protecting national interests and maintaining relations based on mutual respect, while thanking Slovakia for its support. In another meeting, with Kenyan President William Ruto, the discussion focused on Georgia’s geographic position and business environment. Kobakhidze spoke about the country’s economic growth and the opportunities Georgia offers investors, particularly in terms of access to large consumer markets.