BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 25. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has provided about $4 billion to implement 24 projects related to the development of the Middle Corridor since 2001, Yevgeniy Zhukov, Director General of the Central and West Asia Department at ADB, said during the panel discussions held as part of the Asian Infrastructure and Development Bank (AIIB) Annual Meeting in Beijing, Trend reports.
“ADB has been investing in the Corridor since 2001, the year of the CAREC Program establishment. ADB has provided about $4.0 billion to implement 24 projects related to the development of CAREC Corridor 2, including road and railways infrastructure across Central Asia and Caucasus,” he said.
Zhukov pointed out that ADB has been partnering with AIIB in developing CAREC Corridor 2/Middle Corridor, through several projects, including Batumi Bypass in Georgia, and ongoing work on the proposed Green Energy Corridor across Caspian Sea.
“Middle Corridor is an alternative route between Europe and Asia. This transport corridor largely coincides with one of the six Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Corridors - the CAREC Corridor 2. ADB considers CAREC Corridor 2 as an important connection between Asia and Europe. Recent external shocks have elevated the strategic importance of the Trans-Caspian Transport,” he added.
The route starts in China and crosses Central Asian countries
such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It then passes
through the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye before
reaching Europe. The Middle Corridor offers a land route that
connects the eastern parts of Asia, including China, with Europe,
bypassing the longer maritime routes.