Georgian, Kazakh parliament speakers discuss deeper cooperation, middle corridor development

Georgia’s Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday met with Yerlan Koshanov, Chairman of the Mäjilis - the lower house of Kazakhstan’s Parliament - to discuss broadening cooperation between the two countries during Koshanov’s first official visit to Georgia in this role, the Parliament’s press service said.

The sides underlined the longstanding friendship and shared historical ties between Georgia and Kazakhstan, noting common visions for future cooperation. Papuashvili recalled his official visit to Kazakhstan last year and thanked the country for its firm and consistent support of Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Koshanov said his visit would give a new impulse to bilateral relations.

Talks focused on enhancing inter-parliamentary cooperation, including a memorandum of collaboration signed during the visit, increased exchanges between friendship groups, and closer coordination between sectoral committees and parliamentary administrations.

Officials said discussions also covered cooperation in trade, economy, transport, energy, investment, tourism, culture, and youth policy, as well as plans to exchange experience in digitalisation and artificial intelligence.

Special emphasis was placed on the Middle Corridor - a strategic East–West trade route linking Europe and Asia. Both sides noted that as Silk Road countries, Georgia and Kazakhstan hold growing importance in developing the corridor. They highlighted the significance of the joint venture established in 2023 at the Astana International Financial Centre to support the route’s development.

Koshanov briefed Georgian MPs on political reforms planned in Kazakhstan, including a transition to a unicameral parliamentary system and the introduction of elections conducted entirely via party lists, expressing interest in Georgia’s legislative experience.