BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 7. Azerbaijan is
regarded as one of the key participants along the transport route
linking China and Europe, an EU-funded meta-study stated, Trend reports.
The assessment is contained in an EU-funded meta-study, which
notes that discussions of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor
typically highlight Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye as
the core countries along the route. At the same time, the study
stresses that Armenia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Moldova,
and Ukraine also play an important role in the corridor’s broader
connectivity.
According to the study, the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor
stands to reap the rewards of operational advantages through the
development of branch routes that bolster resilience across the
South Caucasus. This includes the revival of connections between
Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Türkiye, made feasible by recent
geopolitical shifts in the region.
“This will help diversify trade routes and potentially ease
congestion at overloaded sections. In addition, it could
significantly improve Armenia’s connectivity with the EU,” the
study says.
The report also highlights that building auxiliary routes and
multimodal connections from Central Asian countries not directly on
the main corridor, like Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan,
would bolster the corridor’s ability to funnel critical raw
materials (CRM) and other export goods to European markets and
throughout the region.
“These links will help integrate inland producers into
Trans-Caspian supply chains, expand the EU’s sourcing options, and
promote inclusive regional development,” the study further
delineates.
The analysis further elucidates the positions of Ukraine and
Moldova within this framework.
“Ukraine and Moldova represent a separate but complementary
dimension in terms of regional connectivity. Their strategic
orientation is primarily defined by integration with the EU, but
they are also linked to the Middle Corridor through the western
interface via Black Sea and Danube ports, connecting to the EU’s
Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T),” the study sums up.
The Middle Corridor is a transport and trade route that runs
through several countries in the region, linking Asia with Europe
as an alternative to the traditional Northern and Southern
corridors. The route begins in China, passes through Central Asian
countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, crosses
the Caspian Sea, and continues through Azerbaijan, Georgia, and
Türkiye before reaching Europe.
