Yesterday, a roundtable discussion was held at the TRACECA (Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia) headquarters in Baku on the topic: “Prospects of the TITR (Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, Middle Corridor) within the Implementation of TRACECA Priorities.”
Participants in the discussion included representatives from the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan, the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Azerbaijan, heads, political analysts and directors of think tanks, representatives of carrier associations, freight forwarding companies from Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, as well as staff from the Permanent Secretariat, media, and other stakeholders.
The discussions highlighted that Kazakh-Azerbaijani cooperation plays a key role in both implementing the TRACECA program and developing the TITR.
The official visits of Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov to Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov to Kazakhstan, which took place within a week of each other, once again clearly demonstrated the intent of both sides to develop an intensive dialogue across all areas of bilateral cooperation. Among these, the issue of transport connectivity stands out in particular — and not by coincidence, since efficient transport links between the two countries are essential for both the development of trade and economic relations and for increasing the transit potential of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) is a central element in the transport strategies of both countries.
It is worth noting that in the past year, cargo transportation volumes via TITR increased by 62%, reaching 4.5 million tons. In the same year, the integration of the Digital Trade Corridor platform was completed between the railways of the two countries. Back in October 2023, the national railway operators of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Georgia signed an agreement to establish a joint venture on a parity basis.
Today, this document serves as a solid foundation for the implementation of multilateral cooperation in the transport sector, where Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan play an exceptionally important role.
Transport connectivity within TITR is further strengthened by large-scale infrastructure projects in both countries that increase the route’s throughput capacity. For instance, Kazakhstan plans to complete construction of the second tracks of the “Dostyk–Moyynty” railway section and the bypass line around Almaty in 2025 — projects that are part of the Middle Corridor’s development. These developments will enhance train movement and help resolve freight transportation issues on those sections.
In Azerbaijan, active work is underway within the framework of the Zangezur transport corridor, which will also become an integrated part of the Middle Corridor. As of February, 62% of construction work on the Horadiz-Agbend railway line had been completed. Railway tunnels are being constructed at the 104th and 106th kilometers of the 110.4-kilometer route.
Work is also being carried out on the Iranian section of the Zangezur corridor, specifically the construction of a railway bridge connecting the Azerbaijani and Iranian banks of the Araz River.
It’s also worth noting that, to boost container transportation volumes on the China-EU route via the Middle Corridor, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan signed an agreement to establish an intermodal cargo terminal at the Port of Alat during the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention, held from November 11 to 22, 2024.
All of the above aligns well with the implementation of TRACECA’s priorities. As early as 2023, the Secretary Generals of TRACECA and the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route signed a memorandum of cooperation to develop transport routes and attract new goods and cargo. Today, this cooperation is progressing successfully — as evidenced by the growing cargo volumes between the two countries.
Ilgar Velizade
