BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 2. Increasing the efficiency of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or Middle Corridor) will allow both Türkiye and other countries in the region to increase their competitiveness in world markets, Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat told Trend.
The minister noted that the current geopolitical challenges facing the world have made it difficult to safely continue commercial and economic activities, especially in the areas of food and energy security.
"In this context, the role and significance of the Middle Corridor has reached its maximum level. Increasing the efficiency of the Middle Corridor, which is an important route that strengthens trade relations with the countries of Central Asia and opens up access for Central Asia to the world," Omer Bolat said.
According to him, Türkiye regularly holds meetings with countries in the region on bilateral and multilateral platforms to assess the effective use of the Middle Corridor. Particularly important in this context is the issue of increasing the capacity of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway.
"As you know, the Trans-Caspian route is an important alternative for our country in foreign trade transportation. With the commissioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway in 2017, a significant part of the Middle Corridor was opened. Initiatives to develop the Middle Corridor connecting Asia and Europe through the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus and Türkiye have recently gained momentum," he said.
Bolat noted that recent events in the international arena are contributing to an increase in cargo transportation from China to Europe through the Middle Corridor. The minister pointed out that Türkiye attaches particular importance to the development of the Middle Corridor, since it plays the role of a transit center between East and West and contributes to the development of economic and political relations between Ankara and the countries of Central Asia.
"Türkiye is doing a huge amount of work to develop the Middle Corridor, including through negotiations, signing agreements, building infrastructure, etc. All this work will strengthen Türkiye's central position in East-West transport and increase freight traffic along this route. It is expected that the prepared projects for the construction of transport roads on new routes will contribute to the opening of the Central Asian countries to the West and the revival of their economies," the minister said.
According to Omer Bolat, up to 10 million tons of cargo are transported annually along the Middle Corridor, including 200,000 containers to Europe
"If this route is effectively used, then Türkiye, together with the countries of Central Asia, will receive great economic opportunities from transit along the Europe-China route, which currently amounts to $600 billion per year," Omer Bolat said.
The minister added that the creation of logistics centers and free trade zones, in particular in the ports of Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, investing in the development of infrastructure along the route and improving the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line in this context will contribute to development and deepening of Trans-Caspian cooperation.
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.
