Kazakhstan at the Heart of the Caspian: Pioneering Peace and Prosperity.
The Caspian Sea- a center for global trade- has a great potential for bringing peace to the region, and not only.
The region's existing natural resources —oil and gas, minerals, and others—have made it a key trading spot in the global energy landscape.
Geographically, the Caspian Sea sits between Europe and Asia, or, in market terms, the world's largest energy markets. As a result, billions are being invested in creating modern trade routes and railways to link the Caspian to Europe, East Asia, and India—some already active, some still in process.
Changes in global trade routes?!
In today's uncertain geopolitical landscape, the Middle Corridor, or Trans-Caspian International Trade Route (TITR), offers the shortest route between western China and Europe, providing a faster alternative to the Northern Corridor through Russia and the sea lanes via the Suez Canal.
Kazakhstan is to profit off of the lane. We are an Asian nation, a few kilometers from China and at the gates of the Far East - but we are also Europe.
Our country is a driving force in developing the TITR to improve transport and the Eurasian trade. In 2023, cargo along the TITR reached 2.76 million tons, an 86% increase from 2022, with expectations to grow to 4.2 million tons by 2024.
This shows the growing significance of the Corridor in global trade.
According to the UN Conference on Trade and Development, rail transport from China to Europe is now cheaper than sea transport. The former becomes an attractive option and an opportunity for Kazakhstan, along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route countries, to expand trade and economy.
The Middle and Southern Corridors, connecting China and Central Asia to Turkey and Europe via the Caspian Sea, support global trade during these challenging times.
Moreover, recent crises in the Red Sea have pushed the logistics field to look for alternative trade routes between the East and the West. The Middle and Southern Corridors, connecting China and Central Asia to Turkey and Europe via the Caspian Sea, support global trade during these challenging times.
The Caspian Sea seems to attract Asia-Pacific involvement in the region. As part of an aid package, Japan plans to establish a trade route through the Caspian Sea, connecting Central Asia to Europe. The goal is to create a stable export route to help the region achieve greater economic independence.
As I mentioned before, Kazakhstan's backdrop in the center of Eurasia offers unique advantages. It is instrumental in China's Belt and Road Initiative and relevant to our neighbors.
On this note, Kazakhstan's central role in building the TITR could be seen as a big step in shaping Eurasian trade. This project shows the country's important position in Central Asia to promote economic growth and better connections across Central Asia and the South Caucasus. Worth noting is that we are already partnering with major players in the shipping world—DP World, Lianyungang Port, and PSA International—to take the trade game to the next level.
We live in critical times when some parts of the world are experiencing major turmoil. The Corridor could strengthen global trade partnerships and promote peace across the region and among the nations involved.
It's essential for Kazakhstan, alongside the Caspian Five, to maintain harmony and mutual understanding in the area for economic growth, sustainability, and, most importantly- peace.
Our country seeks a broader commitment to the economy and sustainability. Our efforts are about our values, and we are also part of it to improve our people's quality of life.
We've built something special here—a stable economy and peaceful society that many countries admire. As one of the leading countries in the area, we hope to make the region a place of peace for global trade.