AWAZA, Turkmenistan, August 8. The Middle Corridor was cited as evidence that integrated infrastructure can unlock trade, attract investment, and generate employment, Aleksandr Prodan, Senior Transport Economist at the World Bank, said, at the closing session of the 3rd UN Conference on LLDCs, Trend reports.
“Landlocked cannot mean disconnected,” Prodan stated, urging coordinated regional planning, blended finance, and legally harmonized systems to reduce trade costs and boost intercontinental rail freight. Legal tools such as the Unified Railway Law and digital systems like eTIR and eCMR were praised for enabling paperless transport and trade.
Prodan stressed that while only 39 percent of LLDC populations are currently aligned, universal connectivity is possible despite geographical challenges. “Access must be matched with meaningful use through community empowerment, digital public goods, and inclusive tools such as e-commerce platforms,” Prodan said.
The role of innovative financing was also underlined, including multi-million-euro AIIB satellite investments and support from the EU's Global Gateway strategy. Global partnerships like the ITU’s Partner2Connect Digital Coalition were cited as pivotal, having mobilized over $76 billion in pledges, with more than $30 billion earmarked for LLDCs.