/Agencia Anadolu
The European Union launched in Brussels a new “Connectivity Agenda Platform” aimed at accelerating transport, energy and digital infrastructure projects along the Middle Corridor or Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR).
The initiative seeks to bring together governments, international financial institutions and private investors to coordinate development along this trans-Caspian trade route, which has acquired strategic importance following disruptions suffered by the northern and southern trade corridors in recent years.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos pointed out that the platform is designed to “connect initiatives, identify gaps and build a shared investment portfolio” along the corridor, which extends from China through Kazakhstan, the South Caucasus and Turkey to Europe.
Kos stated that trade flows along the Middle Corridor have already increased significantly since 2022 and could multiply further in the coming decades; she also highlighted that EU-backed analyses project a potential five-fold increase by 2040.
She added that the corridor could reduce transport times between Asia and Europe from about 45 days to approximately 15 days, thanks to better infrastructure and coordination.
The EU also announced that more than 80 million euros (91 million dollars) in financing will be mobilized to support projects valued at over 2 billion euros in the participating regions, which include countries such as Ukraine and Moldova.
Authorities explained that the platform builds on the existing coordination framework for the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor and aims to strengthen long-term cooperation with partners in Central Asia and the South Caucasus.
Turkey, a key transit node in the corridor, reiterated its strategic role in the initiative.
Turkey’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, pointed out that global supply chain disruptions have underscored the need for “reliable, resilient and high-capacity land corridors”.
He emphasized that the Middle Corridor is no longer just a regional opportunity, but a strategic economic link for both Europe and Asia, and added that investments in railways, ports and logistics infrastructure in Turkey are fundamental to ensuring seamless connectivity between east and west.
Uraloglu also called for streamlining border procedures and improving cross-border coordination to maximize the corridor’s efficiency, stressing that future success should not be measured solely by cargo volumes, but also by the economic value generated along the route.
“Turkey is playing a key role in this agenda,” Kos also told journalists before the meeting, pointing out the importance of linking routes through Nakhchivan and strengthening coordination with Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Kos stated that the EU is ready to support the opening of two border crossings with Turkey and one with Azerbaijan, calling them “crucial” to ensure smooth trade flows once volumes increase further.
