BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 7. The Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea provides an important framework for cooperation among the five littoral states, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan Xiaojun Grace Wang said.
According to the press service of the UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan, Wang made the statement at the opening of the international training course “The Caspian Sea: Sustainable Development and Management” in Ashgabat.
“The five littoral states have established important foundations through the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, the Tehran Convention and its Protocols,” Wang said.
She noted that international law establishes rights and responsibilities, provides predictability and trust, and enables countries to address shared challenges through agreed rules and institutions.
“International law can support sustainable development - not simply through agreements, but through their effective implementation,” Wang said, referring to the Caspian Sea as a practical example.
Wang also linked the issue to 2028, which was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly, at Turkmenistan’s initiative, as the International Year of International Law.
She said the UN is ready to work with the Caspian countries on implementing these principles and connecting regional commitments with national action.
“The United Nations stands firm to partner with the Caspian countries,” Wang said.
According to Wang, the UN can also help connect environmental science with economic and social policy and support the development of solutions through technology, financing and partnerships.
Meanwhile, the Caspian Sea plays an important economic role for the five countries on its shores, supporting energy production, maritime transport, fisheries, trade and regional connectivity. Its location between Central Asia, the South Caucasus and the wider European market also gives the sea importance for the development of international transport routes linking landlocked countries with global markets.
The Caspian Sea has become particularly important for the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor. The route connects China and Central Asia with the South Caucasus and Europe, with maritime links across the Caspian connecting ports in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan with the Port of Baku in Azerbaijan. Turkmenbashi, Aktau and Kuryk on the eastern coast and Baku on the western coast are therefore becoming increasingly important elements of multimodal cargo transportation between Asia and Europe.
For Turkmenistan, the Caspian Sea is particularly significant because it provides access to international maritime trade despite the country's landlocked position in Central Asia. The Turkmenbashi International Seaport has become a key part of the country's transport infrastructure, linking Turkmenistan with Azerbaijan and other markets through maritime and multimodal routes. Cooperation between the ports of Turkmenbashi and Baku is aimed at increasing cargo traffic across the Caspian and strengthening their role as logistics hubs along the East-West transport corridors.
