Kestutis Jankauskas, the EU Ambassador to Kazakhstan, informed in an exclusive interview that the coordination platform for the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or Middle Corridor) will launch soon.
"Trans-Caspian International Transport Route allows freight to pass sanctions-free countries between Europe, Central Asia, the EU, and China. Its infrastructure will increase, making deliveries faster than the sea route. Last year, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development introduced an EU-funded study on Middle Corridor hard and soft bottlenecks. The EU convened a Corridor investment forum in Brussels in January 2024 for all countries and potential funders. Infrastructure improvements were promised 10 billion euros. A TITR coordination platform will soon unite all route players," he said.
According to the ambassador, for the Middle Corridor to function properly and offer a viable alternative transportation route, all countries along it should work together, enabling smooth shipment procedures. That involves not only countries in Central Asia, but also Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, and Türkiye.
Jankauskas also noted that Kazakhstan is at the crossroads between Europe, Asia, the European Union, and China.
"Kazakhstan is nestled between Europe, Asia, and China. Most China-EU land cargo passes through Kazakhstan. Much of this trade moved through Russia via the Northern Route for decades. After Russia invaded Ukraine and the EU imposed sanctions, some corporations have moved their logistic activities out of sanctioned countries. Trans-Caspian International Transport Route development accelerated. This approach allows EU-Central Asia trade and speedier cargo transit between China and Europe than via water," Jankauskas said.
As the ambassador pointed out, according to several studies, there is a huge potential to at least triple the traffic through this corridor by 2030.
"This would help to better connect Kazakhstan to the global economy and contribute to economic growth in the region. Kazakhstan is working on several projects simultaneously to provide better services along the Middle Corridor," he noted.
Speaking about energy cooperation between Kazakhstan and the EU, the ambassador noted that Kazakhstan has been an energy partner of the EU for decades, currently supplying over 8 percent of the EU’s oil consumption.
"This became even more important after Russian oil stopped coming to the EU market. The majority of that oil flows via CPC pipeline, and the EU exempted oil not originating from Russia from its sanctions. Kazakhstan is trying to diversify its oil supplies to Europe and world markets. One of the ways is to ship it via the Caspian Sea and Azerbaijan. The amount of Trans-Caspian oil transit has been growing during the last two years, but its amount is limited due to the lack of port and shipping infrastructure. Developing and having alternative export routes is always important," the ambassador said.
Jankauskas noted that the EU is interested in expanding cooperation with Kazakhstan in the field of renewable energy sources.
"As the EU moves away from fossil fuels, we want to work with Kazakhstan on renewable energy and green technologies. Kazakhstan is abundant in solar and wind power. So far, it has implemented certain renewable power producing facilities with European investors," he said.
According to the ambassador, one of the largest is the German-Swedish SVEVIND project to produce green hydrogen in the Western Mangystau region of Kazakhstan.
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