THE MIDDLE CORRIDOR: GEORGIA'S OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE GLOBAL ENERGY AND ECONOMIC NETWORK

The monograph The Energy Dimension of the Middle Corridor (An Alternative Route from China to Europe) by Solomon Pavliashvili and Zurab Garaqanidze, edited by Academician Mikheil Jibuti, offers a comprehensive analysis of Georgia’s evolving role within the global energy and economic networks. Against the backdrop of profound transformations in international infrastructure and geoeconomic systems, the authors emphasize Georgia’s strategic positioning within the Middle Corridor connecting Asia and Europe.The study identifies both the opportunities and challenges facing the Corridor’s development, highlighting global rivalries, regional tensions, and competing projects such as the India–Middle East–Europe Corridor. Special attention is given to Georgia’s emerging role as an energy hub, notably through key initiatives like the Southern Gas Corridor and the Black Sea Submarine Cable Project.Innovative strategic proposals—including the integration of regional gas pipelines and the reopening of the Abkhazian railway—are presented as bold pathways to enhance Georgia’s geopolitical relevance, albeit with acknowledged risks. A critical theoretical contribution is the critique of „infrastructural quasi-security,“ asserting that sustainable transit functions require a stable security environment beyond mere infrastructure development.The monograph thus provides both theoretical insights and practical guidance, positioning Georgia at the intersection of global transportation and energy networks and outlining the strategic steps necessary for consolidating its role in an increasingly competitive geopolitical landscape.