LEIPZIG, Germany, May 23. The development of transport infrastructure at the national level requires huge funding, said Asset Assavbayev, TRACECA Secretary General, as he addressed the participants of the International Transport Forum (ITF) underway in Leipzig, Germany, Trend reports.
"Transport infrastructure plays a crucial role in global connectivity. The importance of infrastructure development has also been repeatedly emphasized in various studies conducted by international organizations and financial institutions. Additionally, it is noted that taking necessary measures to further develop infrastructure at the national level requires significant funding. For example, the EBRD's report on sustainable transport connections between Europe and Central Asia estimates that infrastructure development in Central Asia alone requires about 18 billion euros," he said.
Assavbayev pointed out that his amount is much larger when considering both hard and soft infrastructure across all 14 member states.
"Given the significant investments already made in infrastructure development, it is especially important to ensure harmonization of actions, as border infrastructure capacity must correspond with each other. The observed increase in the volume of transported goods once again underscores that pressure on transport infrastructure will continue to grow," the secretary general explained.
He noted that coordinating actions in this direction plays a pivotal role in ensuring the future viability of interregional connectivity.
"I urge all participants of this ITF open session to recognize the need for collaborative efforts and, most importantly, coordinated and agreed-upon actions. I am confident that promoting the harmonization of infrastructure capacity will help eliminate potential bottlenecks in the future. I believe that international coordination is highly relevant given the constant evolution of logistics routes and the restructuring of supply chains," Assavbayev concluded.