BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 14. Turkmenistan
highlighted the importance of the Caspian region for international
transport infrastructure and expressed interest in using its
transit potential.
This was reflected in a press release issued by the press
service of the Turkmen government following Turkmen Deputy Chairman
of the Cabinet of Ministers Khojamyrat Geldimyradov’s remarks at
the 111th meeting of the CIS Economic Council in Ashgabat.
According to Geldimyradov, the geographic position of CIS
countries allows them to serve as a key link in developing
sustainable logistics routes between Europe and Asia, with the
North-South and East-West international transport corridors of
particular importance.
He also emphasized Turkmenistan's interest in the effective use
of the Caspian's transit potential based on mutually beneficial
cooperation.
As part of its CIS chairmanship, Turkmenistan proposed declaring
2029 the Year of Transport Connectivity. The initiative is intended
to give additional impetus to transport cooperation among CIS
countries, the report noted.
The proposed thematic year could serve as a platform for
implementing projects in transport infrastructure, international
routes, digitalization of transportation, multimodal connectivity
and transport security, as well as addressing existing
infrastructure and administrative barriers, Geldimyradov said.
Notably, the Caspian's economic role has gained increasing
attention as changing water levels affect ports, shipping routes
and coastal infrastructure across the region. For Turkmenistan,
whose Turkmenbashi International Seaport serves as a key gateway
for Trans-Caspian cargo flows, maintaining efficient maritime
connectivity has become increasingly important for trade and
logistics.
The sea is also central to offshore energy production,
fisheries, and regional transport projects linking Central Asia
with Azerbaijan and onward to Europe, making its long-term
management an increasingly important issue for both economic
planning and regional cooperation.
