BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 10. The Trans-Caspian Forum 2026 in Washington represents a strategic recalibration of the Eurasian economic landscape, emphasizing the partnership between the United States, Azerbaijan, and Central Asian countries. On June 10, the Caspian Policy Center convenes U.S. officials and regional leaders at the National Press Club to deliberate on economic security and the development of enduring commercial partnerships.
The list of speakers includes Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan - Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, and U.S. Under Secretary of State Christopher Landau.
Washington's goal is clear: the White House is seeking reliable commercial routes to diversify global supplies, while for Baku, this is an excellent opportunity to strengthen its status as a major logistical and energy hub at the crossroads of continents.
The multimodal Middle Corridor (TITR) is currently showing powerful operational growth, which is backed by concrete figures. From 2019 through 2025, the volume of cargo transportation along this route grew 5–6 times, rising to the level of 4.12–5.2 million tons. In 2024 alone, the total indicator jumped by 62–63%, and the container flow increased 2.6 times, amounting to about 56,500 TEU. In 2025, the bar rose even higher — to 76,900 TEU.
Notably, in the first nine months of last year, transit through Azerbaijan's infrastructure grew by 6%, exceeding 2.6 million tons. Currently, the corridor's ongoing capacity is estimated at 6 million tons per year, but the immediate goal of the parties is to reach 10 million tons by 2027 and process up to 300,000 TEU by 2029. Plans for the 2025–2026 period include launching 600 regular container trains, with growth up to 2,000 trains by 2029.
Physical infrastructure is also being modernized to meet these tasks: the Baku Port of Alat is expanding to a capacity of 25 million tons and 500,000 TEU, while the upgraded Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line is already prepared to stably receive 5 million tons of cargo. Azerbaijan is successfully converting geography into transit revenues while advancing digitalization projects.
In parallel, the US is interested in direct access to the region's raw materials for the stable operation of its industry. Kazakhstan stands as a key player here, controlling about 40% of global uranium production. Its output in 2025 amounted to 25,839 tons, and the forecast for 2026 equals 27–29,000 tons. Astana also holds strong positions in titanium, zinc, manganese, and chromium. American business is already actively entering this market: Cove Capital is implementing a $1.1 billion tungsten project with the support of the U.S. EXIM Bank, which allocated about $900 million.
Azerbaijan wins in this scheme as a transit country. The export of minerals and uranium across the Caspian creates an excellent effect for the development of Baku's transport network. This is precisely why energy will be discussed separately at the forum, with the participation of U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Shawna Wilson and representatives of Kazatomprom.
The energy track is complemented by a "green" vector. Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan have ratified an agreement to establish a joint venture, the Green Corridor Alliance, headquartered in Baku, to export renewable energy and clean hydrogen to Europe. In the first four months of 2026, Uzbekistan generated more than 2.5 billion kilowatt-hours from RES, against an annual plan of 15 billion kilowatt-hours. Baku plans to link this flow with the Black Sea Submarine Cable project, plugging the region's clean energy system into the European market.
Such a collaborative partner approach by Azerbaijan and the U.S. to working with Central Asia opens up new scenarios for regional development. In practice, this cooperation leads to the creation of a single, end-to-end commercial corridor that will unite transport, digital networks, and clean energy. Under this scenario, Washington gains stable and secure access to critical raw materials and new markets, while Central Asian countries diversify their export destinations.
For Baku, this synergy manifests itself in guaranteed long-term transit revenues and an influx of U.S. direct investment in port and logistics infrastructure. Ultimately, the Middle Corridor relies on tangible financial support from the United States, evolving into a stable, predictable, and mutually beneficial trade bridge.
