2024-07-27 04:38:15
The Trans-Caspian international transport route – the Middle Corridor – has the potential to provide more land transport between Europe and Asia.
As reported by Day.Az, Peter Stano, press secretary of the European Commission for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said this in an exclusive interview with Trend.
Drawing on European experience, he stressed the importance of a regional approach to developing transport links to ensure sustainable economic growth. “Our experience tells us that the development of transport links must be based on a regional approach if we want them to contribute to sustainable economic development.”
According to him, the central part of the Trans-Caspian route has significant potential for expanding land trade between Europe and Asia. “The corridor has the potential to expand land trade between Europe and Asia once bottlenecks, capacity constraints and other connectivity issues, including soft connectivity, are properly addressed.”
The European Commission representative further added that the EU Global Gateway initiative had funded a study on sustainable transport corridors aimed at connecting an extended trans-European transport network with five Central Asian countries. “This comprehensive study, published in June 2023, laid the foundation for improving the operational efficiency and economic attractiveness of the Central Trans-Caspian Network, covering major production and population centres in Central Asia.”
“The issue of diversifying trade routes has been on the agenda for quite some time,” Stano explained, noting that the outbreak of war in Ukraine has increased the urgency of finding alternative, reliable and efficient trade routes between Europe and Asia that do not pass through Russia. In this regard, the EU wants to be “a reliable and predictable partner in a rapidly changing world.”
The importance of connectivity was a key topic at the EU-Central Asia Ministerial meeting held on 23 October 2023 in Luxembourg. Stano stressed that the discussions followed the successful conference on connectivity in Samarkand in November 2022. The Global Gateway Forum held in Brussels on 25-26 October 2023 once again demonstrated the EU’s strong commitment to connectivity. “These events underlined our commitment to developing a reliable transport network,” he said.
This momentum was provided by the Investor Forum held on 29-30 January 2024, where private companies and international financial institutions discussed operational steps to implement the research findings. “Our engagement with the private sector and financial institutions is critical to translate our strategic plans into tangible results,” Stano emphasized.
On 12 June 2024, the EU launched a Coordination Platform in Astana to monitor progress and promote cooperation on the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor. “This platform is a key step in ensuring continued cooperation and progress,” Stano said. He also announced that by the end of the year, the EU will adopt a Prosperity Agenda aimed at improving cross-border coordination and interoperability in Central Asian countries, facilitating business connections along this strategic corridor.
By addressing key infrastructure and connectivity challenges, the EU aims to create a reliable and resilient transport network that will contribute to economic growth and regional stability in Central Asia. “We are committed to turning this vision into reality and look forward to continued cooperation with our partners in Central Asia,” concluded Peter Stano.
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