Welcome to the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum! The 2019 iteration of this biennial event will take place on 22-23 October in the Georgian capital, building on the success of the previous forums held in 2015 and 2017.

The mission of the forum is to serve as an international platform for multilateral high-level dialogue among senior policymakers, businesses and community leaders to discuss important issues on trade and connectivity, examine challenges facing countries along the New Silk Road connecting East and West, and find common solutions that have a positive impact on the region and the global economy. We have preserved the traditional format of the forum: Day 1 provides opportunities to discuss a full spectrum of issues related to artificial intelligence (AI), trade, transport and energy in separate panel discussions, and Day 2 focuses on the private sector and investment opportunities in Georgia. Various side events on topical issues will also take place as part of the forum.

International trade is at the center of the global economy and is a major driver of economic growth. Ancient trade routes, now replaced by modern systems of transportation and communication, remain highways for the exchange of goods, culture, technology and knowledge. Transportation corridors continue to develop to accommodate the growing scale and increasing speed at which international trade is conducted today. Countries and businesses are focusing on emerging possibilities, while international and regional dialogues remain centered around the improvement of connectivity and the promotion of economic openness. Production networks, multinational corporations and their value chains have been expanding their presence across countries and regions, and governments are making efforts to enhance trade by lowering trade barriers and signing free trade agreements. Against this backdrop, achieving sustainable growth through technology and industrial and infrastructural upgrades remains critical to facilitating inclusive growth in the region.

This year’s forum is expected to host about 2,000 participants, including political leaders, experts, and representatives of international organizations, IFIs and businesses, to examine factors that effectively define regional and global trade and connectivity. The key topics for discussion will include AI, the impact of its development on the global economy, the changing landscape of global trade, emerging opportunities for improving transport links as part of the New Silk Road, and energy connectivity through increased safety along energy corridors.

Going forward, tackling the existing obstacles to co-operation head-on in these areas and agreeing on ways to overcome them through dialogue, research, initiatives and mutual projects would constitute the essential deliverable and success of the forum.

We hope that you will join us for this event.