Kyrgyzstan is considering the Middle Corridor as an alternative route for cargo transit to Europe, Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubayev said at a press conference on the results of the ministry's activities in the first half of 2024, Report informs referring to Kyrgyz media.
"With the Russian corridor closed, the transportation and transit of cargo to Europe has become much more difficult. Currently, the entire cargo flow goes through the southern corridor: cargo is sent to Iran, then to Türkiye and further to Europe, and back via a similar route.
However, alternative routes are being considered that could speed up the transportation process. One of them is the Middle Corridor, which passes through Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and the Caucasus," the minister said.
He noted that these projects are being actively discussed with European partners and Central Asian countries.
"Partners are ready to work together in this direction to facilitate the transportation process and increase trade in the region. This can also attract investments from distant partners. The use of this platform is beneficial both for the Central Asian countries and for us, as it allows us to act as a single market and promote the joint development of the region," said Kulubayev.
The Middle Corridor (Trans-Caspian International Transport Route) runs through China, Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and further to Türkiye and European countries. In 2023, 2.7 million tons of cargo were transported along this route (an increase of 86% compared to 2022), in 2024 the cargo flow may exceed 4 million tons.