Georgia’s Minister of Finance, Lasha Khutsishvili, and the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Country Director for Georgia, Leslie Bearman-Lamm, have signed a €306.6 million loan agreement to fund the construction of the Batumi–Sarpi highway. The agreement marks another milestone in Georgia’s strategic partnership with ADB, the Ministry of Finance announced.
The project envisions building an approximately 11-kilometer-long, primarily dual-lane highway that will start from the Batumi bypass and extend toward the Sarpi border crossing with Turkey. Main engineering features include a 7.6-kilometer twin-tube tunnel and a 1.47-kilometer bridge over the Chorokhi River, designed to meet trans-European motorway standards.
As the Ministry states, the project will enhance regional connectivity, help trade and improve road safety, while significantly reducing travel time between Georgia and Turkey.
Ahead of the signing ceremony, Ministers Lasha Khutsishvili and Revaz Sokhadze met with ADB representatives to discuss the project’s significance and broader cooperation with the bank. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued collaboration, expressing appreciation for ADB’s long-term support of Georgia’s infrastructure development.
The meeting was also attended by Deputy Finance Minister Ekaterine Guntsadze, Deputy Infrastructure Minister Mzia Giorgobiani, and other officials from both ministries and ADB’s Georgia office.
