BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 23. The EU is now looking at enhancing the operational efficiency and economic attractiveness of the Central Trans-Caspian Network, Peter Stano, the European Commission’s Lead Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, told Trend.
"The Central Trans-Caspian corridor certainly has the potential to handle more land-based trade between Europe and Asia, if key issues, bottlenecks, capacity shortages and other connectivity issues, including soft connectivity issues, are adequately addressed," he said.
According to Peter Stano, as part of the Global Gateway initiative, the EU financed a study on sustainable transport corridors connecting the extended Trans-European Transport network and the five countries of Central Asia.
"Based on the results of this study (published last June 2023), we are now looking at enhancing the operational efficiency and economic attractiveness of the Central Trans-Caspian Network that encompasses major production and population centers in all five Central Asian countries. Based on our experience in Europe – and in line with the recommendations made in the study – developing transport connections must be based on a regional approach to connectivity, in order to ensure that they also contribute to sustainable economic development of the entire Central Asian region," he noted.
Meanwhile, a recent study of sustainable transport links between Europe and Central Asia, commissioned by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and guided and financed by the European Union, has determined that the Central Trans-Caspian Network (CTCN) via southern Kazakhstan is the most sustainable route option. The study recommends concrete soft connectivity initiatives and substantial investments in hard infrastructure to advance the development of this route.
The Middle Corridor comprises various pathways, including a northern route passing through the northern region of Kazakhstan, a central route known as the Central Trans-Caspian Network (CTCN) along the southern border of Kazakhstan with its neighboring countries, and a southern route traversing Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.
Upon reaching a Caspian Sea port in Kazakhstan or Turkmenistan, each of the three routes extends across the Caspian to the Port of Baku, progressing overland to Georgia. Subsequently, cargo from Georgia can be transported either by sea across the Black Sea to Bulgaria or Romania, or it can proceed overland to Europe via Türkiye.
