BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 9. The EU-funded study on sustainable transport connections between Europe and Central Asia has identified 33 hard infrastructure investment needs across the region for the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or Middle Corridor), European Commission’s spokesperson Adalbert Jahnz said in an exclusive interview with Trend.
"The EU-funded study on sustainable transport connections between Europe and Central Asia has opened up new opportunities for cooperation between the EU and all the five Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, which has a key role to play in transport connectivity in the region. The study identified 33 hard infrastructure investment needs across the region (for example modernization of existing railways and roads, additional links, fleet expansion, port capacity expansion, rolling stock, logistics centers, warehousing) and seven soft connectivity actions (for example trade facilitation, tariff harmonization, customs procedures, border controls, interoperability, market liberalization)," he said.
According to Jahnz, these are all specific, concrete, implementable, and realistic actions that can contribute to the competitiveness, economic attractiveness, and operational efficiency of the Trans-Caspian Transport network and offer opportunities for all the five Central Asian countries to maximize their sustainable economic development by being better connecter with each other – and with Europe.
"The estimated amount of investment required to make the corridor operational is around 18.5 billion euros for the hard connectivity issues alone. Therefore, as Team Europe, the EU involves the European financial institutions, but also other international financing institutions, the private sector, and like-minded countries in coordination efforts among various potential investors. In January 2024, at the Global Gateway Investors Forum for EU-Central Asia Transport Connectivity, the Commission announced the commitment of 10 billion euros in support and investments towards sustainable transport connectivity in Central Asia. A dedicated Coordination Platform for the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor was also recently launched in Astana, chaired by the European Commission and hosted by the government of Kazakhstan," the spokesperson added.
The Middle Corridor is a transportation and trade route that connects Asia and Europe, passing through several countries in the region. It is an alternative route to the traditional Northern Corridor and Southern Corridor.
The route starts in China and crosses Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It then passes through the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye before reaching Europe.
The Middle Corridor offers a land route that connects the eastern parts of Asia, including China, with Europe, bypassing the longer maritime routes.
