Representatives from Turkmenistan, alongside officials from other Central Asian nations and international organizations, gathered in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on 25-26 January 2024, for the third meeting on expanding the Trans-Caspian Trade Route (TCTR). The Turkmen Logistics Association, Transport and Logistics Center of Turkmenistan (TULM), and several transport and logistics companies actively participated in the discussions.
The event, organized by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) and USAID Trade Program in Central Asia, brought together key stakeholders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Georgia. Additionally, delegates from international organizations like the International Road Transport Union (IRU), TRACECA, UNECE, GIZ, World Bank, EBRD, and ADB involved in the meeting.
A central focus of the meeting was the draft Joint Action Plan prepared by CLDP for enhancing TCTR. Recognizing the critical role of digitalization in streamlining cargo transportation, participants engaged in a dedicated discussion on this topic.
Day two featured in-depth sessions on optimizing railway transport, seaport operations, and road infrastructure development. Working groups further refined the draft Joint Action Plan, incorporating valuable suggestions and feedback.
The final session tackled crucial points like finalizing the agreement process for the Joint Action Plan, establishing implementation mechanisms, and forming TCTR Coordinating and Expert Councils.
This CLDP initiative aligns with the C5+1 Diplomatic Platform’s goals of boosting regional economic interconnectedness and overcoming challenges hindering regional cooperation and sustainability.
The TCTR encompasses multimodal routes (road, rail, and sea) connecting Central Asian nations with Azerbaijan and Georgia via the Caspian and Black Seas, ultimately reaching European markets. This corridor aims to facilitate increased trade and cargo transportation, including transit, among these countries while offering Central Asian nations improved access to European markets.
The six TCTR countries involved are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia serving as a crucial transit point. Key Caspian Sea ports include Turkmenbashi in Turkmenistan, Aktau and Kuryk in Kazakhstan, and Baku and Alat in Azerbaijan. Black Sea ports in Batumi and Poti, Georgia, provide further connectivity westward.
Previous TCTR meetings were held in Batumi (March 2023) and Tbilisi (July 2023). Both resulted in valuable recommendations aimed at expanding the route, which are being incorporated into the comprehensive Joint Action Plan currently in development.///nCa, 27 January 2024