The Asian Development Bank has approved a $500m loan to Georgia to repair major link-roads between Central Asia and the Caucasus.

The project is expected to improve cross–border trade between the Caucasus and Central Asia.

The project is part of the country’s $3bn seven-year Road Corridor Investment Programme, funded by various other development agencies along with ADB.

The first $119m tranche of loan will be used to finance the $149m construction of a 34km two-lane bypass road, carry out road safety training and provide project management support.

The second tranche of the loan will be used to build another bypass road with improvements in border facilities.