BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 24
By Amina Nazarli - Trend:
Turkmenistan intends to transport goods by road and rail in connection with Kazakhstan, Qatar, and India's accession to the transport and transit corridors of Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey (Lapis Lazuli Route) and Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Oman, said Mammetkhan Chakiev Director General of the Transport and Communications Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, Trend reports citing Business Turkmenistan.
He made the remark during the online meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers.
To accomplish this, national operators should be identified to address existing issues in order to enhance traffic along these routes, organize test cargo flights, and ensure continuous cargo transportation.
In his words, Turkmenistan is implementing a favorable competitive pricing policy and creating conditions for the development of logistics in order to increase rail container transportation in the direction of China-Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran.
In order to gain access to Europe, the country is also working to increase container traffic along the international route Caspian Sea-Black Sea, as well as along the international transport corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia.
According to Chakiev, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India are interested in transit cargo transportation to Russia, Kazakhstan, and European countries, as well as container cargo transportation along the China-Tajikistan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Turkey route.
In this regard, it is planned to use the transit capabilities of Turkmenbashi International Sea Port as part of negotiations between transport companies.
Lapis Lazuli, estimated at $2 billion, is an international transit route opened in 2018 linking Afghanistan to Turkey via Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. On January 16, 2021, leaders of an inter-departmental working group from Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Afghanistan agreed on a tripartite roadmap for deeper cooperation on the Corridor. Turkmenistan made a considerable contribution to the corridor's development and the integration of Afghanistan into Eurasia's transport and logistics infrastructure.
The agreement on the establishment of an international transport and transit corridor Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Oman was signed among the participant governments in Ashgabat on April 25, 2011. The Ashgabat agreement is aimed at facilitating the transportation of goods between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf.