Astana, July 7th (Xinhua) – The Secretary General of the International Association of Trans Caspian Sea Transport Corridors, Gaidar Abudikrimov, recently stated in an interview with Xinhua News Agency that the 24th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, deepened mutual trust among member states and will further promote economic development among them.
Wherever there is trust, there is stability, and wherever there is development. Economic development is a key factor and important driving force for the development of the Trans Caspian International Transport Corridor, “he said.
This is the Independence Palace captured on June 29, 2024 in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Photo by Wang Jianhua, Xinhua News Agency reporter
Abdikrimov introduced that the Trans Caspian International Transport Corridor is a multimodal transportation route. It starts from China, spans Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea coast, Azerbaijan, Georgia and extends to Türkiye and European countries, with a total length of 11000 kilometers. The International Association of Trans Caspian International Transport Corridors began operations in February 2017, with the aim of coordinating relevant parties on the Asia Europe two-way freight transportation route and providing necessary information security.
Abtikrimov said that the “the Belt and Road” initiative proposed by China in 2013 is inspiring, especially in the transportation and logistics industry. We see a new opportunity to revive the ancient Silk Road
On May 12, 2023, near Almaty, Kazakhstan, freight trains run between Almaty and Khorgos, China (UAV photo). Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Ospanov)
He said that over the past 10 years, the joint construction of the “the Belt and Road” has had a huge positive impact on the development of the trans Caspian international transport corridor. Nowadays, this route has become an important artery for transporting goods from Southeast Asia and China to Europe. At the third “the Belt and Road” International Cooperation Summit Forum held last year, China proposed eight actions to support high-quality joint construction of the “the Belt and Road”, including participating in the construction of the trans Caspian international transport corridor. China’s support is reflected in practical actions, bringing good news for the construction of the Trans Caspian International Transport Corridor.
Abudikrimov stated that currently, the annual cargo throughput of the Trans Caspian International Transport Corridor is about 6 million tons. Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye signed a development road map last year, which plans to more than double the annual throughput of the road by 2027. The Astana Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has added momentum to the development of this route, and the Trans Caspian International Transport Corridor will continue to play a role as a fast, safe, and sustainable transportation channel.