LEIPZIG, Germany, May 24. The Middle Corridor already serves as a key transit route between East and West, Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan Ilhom Mahkamov told Trend in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the International Transport Forum (ITF) summit in Leipzig.
"As a major east-west transportation corridor, the Middle Corridor is rapidly rising to prominence. Colleagues from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan will be working with us on its development more closely than before," he said.
He added that Uzbekistan is keen on and even compelled to diversify its export and import routes.
"We are simply forced to increase transit flows and diversify cargo transportation routes, finding new corridors for the goods we import and export. The geopolitical situation has changed the entire logistics chain," Mahkamov explained.
The minister noted that the countries involved in the Middle Corridor still have significant work to do, particularly regarding tariffs and infrastructure.
"The tariffs on the Middle Corridor are currently not very competitive compared to the Northern and Southern routes. Nonetheless, when contrasted with other circuits, the agreed-upon discount makes rail freight transportation more competitive," he said.
The minister highlighted that the discussion revolves around a 50 percent discount on tariffs.
"In a five-party format, the railway administrations of the countries through which this route passes have agreed on tariff preferences. I believe this will help increase the volume of cargo transportation along the corridor," he added.
According to Mahkamov, the Middle Corridor holds significant potential.
"Of course, infrastructure challenges remain. We must extend traffic-clogged corridors. Our colleagues in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia are actively resolving these challenges. We're confident the Middle Corridor will become a major transit corridor," the Uzbek minister concluded.
To note, Lithuania is chairing the ITF Summit on Transport Enabling Sustainable Economies in Leipzig, Germany, from May 22–24. The participants debate how transportation may boost economic growth and environmental and social sustainability.
The International Transport Forum (ITF) is an intergovernmental organization with over 60 member countries, including Azerbaijan.
The ITF was established in 2006 under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as the successor to the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (EICMT), which has been in operation since 1953.
Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel