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Today, a high-level meeting dedicated to the launch of the Trans-Caspian Coordination Platform for Transport Crossings was held at the Arçabil Hotel in the capital.
The event was attended by EU Commissioner for International Cooperation Jutta Urpilainen, Advisor to the Director-General of the European Commission for International Cooperation Henrik Holloway, as well as representatives of relevant ministries of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Armenia, Georgia, the Asian Development Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank, the Islamic Development Bank and the World Bank.
Expanding international cooperation in the country’s transport and communications sector is one of the main areas of state policy successfully implemented by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov based on the initiatives of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
As noted during the meeting, the creation of a coordination platform between the European Union and Central Asia will make the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor a more stable and faster route connecting Europe and Central Asia.
Turkmenistan puts forward effective initiatives aimed at developing broad international cooperation and takes specific actions to implement them. Our country is becoming a center for various events to strengthen interaction in this area. Today’s high-level meeting on the occasion of the launch of the Trans-Caspian Coordination Platform of Transport Crossings is a clear confirmation of this. This international event, dedicated to the diversification of transit cooperation between Europe and Central Asia, serves as an effective platform for promoting regional and interregional ties, discussing issues of mutual interest, establishing productive relations, as well as being acquainted with world experience and opportunities for the development of this sector.
Due to its favorable geographical location, Turkmenistan, located at the junction of Central Asia and Europe, takes a very responsible approach to expanding transport and logistics services. The material and technical base of the national transport structure is being modernized, and in this regard, the capacity of international transit is constantly increasing.
The initiatives of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to create an international transport infrastructure are widely supported by the world community. In this context, it is worth noting the active cooperation of our country with the United Nations.
As is known, on May 16, 2023, at the 70th plenary meeting of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, on the initiative of Turkmenistan, with the unanimous support of the UN member states, a Resolution was adopted, according to which November 26 was declared as World Sustainable Transport Day.
It is important to note that, at the suggestion of Turkmenistan, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted relevant Resolutions in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2021, designed to give cooperation in the transport sector a qualitatively new impetus.
Turkmenistan advocates close cooperation with specialized structures of the United Nations, primarily with the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Such constructive partnership corresponds to the logic of the modern development of Central Asia – a region with colossal natural resources and an advantageous location at the junction of the main routes of the Eurasian space.
As noted in the speeches of foreign representatives, the expansion of specialized infrastructure and strengthening of transport connectivity plays a decisive role in the economic growth of the countries of the region. The new coordination platform is destined to increase the sustainability of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor and turn it into a multimodal route connecting Europe and Asia.
In the context of the transition to an innovative path of development, transport is considered as one of the most significant factors of economic growth, which is destined to improve international trade relations, increase the efficiency of natural resources, and develop entrepreneurship.
The Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor is a key transport route connecting Europe and Asia. Its development will improve economic communications and reduce the time of cargo transportation between the countries of the region.
The desire of foreign partners to increase cooperation in this area is primarily due to the scale of the transformations implemented in the domestic transport and transit system, as well as the high level of interaction with leading business circles. At the same time, favorable legal, financial and economic conditions are being created for the fruitful activities of all interested parties in the promising Turkmen market.
The new coordination platform will stimulate investments in railway, automobile and port infrastructure, strengthen economic ties between Europe and Central Asia, and facilitate increasing the security and sustainability of transport corridors.
Joint work within the platform also involves the active introduction of technological innovations in the transport sector.
At the end of the meeting, it was expressed confidence that cooperation within the coordination platform will promote the further development of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor and will allow coordinating efforts in the implementation of mutually beneficial projects.
