UAE State Minister hails opening of Tbilisi Dry Port as a major step in strengthening East-West trade corridor

Ahmed Al Sayegh, the State Minister of the United Arab Emirates, on Tuesday said the newly inaugurated Tbilisi Dry Port was poised to significantly enhance trade not only with Georgia and Central Asia but also to strengthen commercial connectivity along the East-West corridor, leading to a substantial increase in overall trade volume.

In his address at the opening ceremony of the Tbilisi Dry Port, Sayegh noted that the Dry Port project was an example of a successful partnership between the United Arab Emirates and Georgia.

“We are facilitating the movement of industrial and consumer goods from Asia - including China and Central Asia - towards Europe and vice versa. This effort is guided by the leadership of both countries. Our deepening strategic and global partnership with Georgia reflects shared visions, common values, and a mutual spirit of building a sustainable and beneficial trade relationship. It is a partnership rooted in peace, progress, and long-term stability”, the State Minister said.

“The Tbilisi Dry Port is a combination of the strong partnership and agreement that we signed in Georgia - Memorandum of Understanding - and aims to double trade from $480 million to $1.5 billion over the next five years. Based on our cooperation, this trade will be based on special tariffs, 95 percent of goods will be transported through this port and Georgia’s trade partnership with the whole world will be strengthened”, he continued.

He further added that the investment of Abu Dhabi Ports Group in the port indicated growing cooperation with Georgia.

Sayegh expressed the United Arab Emirates' expectations for further investments in Georgia and noted “we are doing everything we can to find new opportunities together with the Georgian Government to implement these investments”.

“Georgia, in addition to being a country with many investment opportunities, is also a source of great talent, which allows us to make our cooperation even more successful. Once again, many thanks to the Georgian Government for its support and assistance to investors from the United Arab Emirates”, he concluded.