OMM Redaksiyası
The European Union (EU) plans to attract up to 12 billion euros in public and private investment to strengthen the Middle Corridor, which connects Central Asia and the South Caucasus with European markets.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the initiative as part of the EU’s policy to strengthen international transport links. The project is being developed under the Global Gateway initiative and aims to diversify trade routes between Europe and Asia, as well as strengthen connectivity in the Caspian region.
Investment plans for the Middle Corridor
The investment is expected to target railways, roads, ports and logistics hubs along the route, as well as digitalization, trade facilitation and the harmonization of transport systems.
The EU aims to triple cargo flows along the corridor by 2030 and significantly reduce delivery times for goods transported between the regions. The European Commission also plans to hold a regional summit dedicated to transport connectivity. The summit is expected to be organized jointly with Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev.
Route linking China and Europe
Also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, the Middle Corridor runs from China to Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye. The route bypasses Russian territory and connects Central Asian markets with transport links leading across the Caspian Sea and onward to Europe.
The corridor includes rail, road and maritime transport. It mainly carries containerized and general cargo, including industrial equipment, electronics, consumer goods, agricultural products and metals. Kazakhstan’s oil and oil products are also shipped across the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan and then onward to other destinations.
Route stretches for up to 6,000 kilometers
The combined length of the corridor’s various branches is approximately 6,000 kilometers. Some 700 to 800 kilometers of the route pass across the Caspian Sea.
After reaching Baku, the route splits into two main directions. One branch continues by rail through Georgia and Türkiye. The other extends to Europe by sea via Georgia’s ports of Poti and Batumi.
The European Commission previously said that developing the route could create a modern transport connection between Europe and Asia and reduce cargo delivery times to as little as 15 days.
For the EU, the project forms part of its policy to diversify transport links with Asia. For countries along the route, particularly Kazakhstan, the Middle Corridor could strengthen their position in the Eurasian transport network and expand trade ties between Central Asia and European markets.
