ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 31. Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have begun practical work on laying a fiber-optic connection line on the Caspian seabed, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan Alim Bayel told local reporters, Trend reports.
As the ambassador noted, first work will be carried out on the production of this line, and then on the installation.
In addition, the ambassador noted that this project is important not only for Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan but also for the entire region.
The ambassador also included the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or Middle Corridor) and the transit of Kazakh oil through the territory of Azerbaijan as projects of regional importance.
"Therefore, the role of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan in regional economic projects is high," he said.
Speaking about the Middle Corridor, Alim Bayel noted that the transportation of goods along the Middle Corridor has increased by about 85 percent.
At the same time, the ambassador noted that it is planned to increase the volume of transit of Kazakh oil through Azerbaijan to several tons.
Alim Bayel pointed out that Kazakhstan has attracted approximately $400 billion in direct investment into the country since independence. This, in turn, represents 70 percent of all investments attracted to the Central Asian region.
From January through August 2023, trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan amounted to $398 million, which is an increase of 57.2 percent compared to the same period in 2022.
The Middle Corridor is a transportation and trade route that connects Asia and Europe, passing through several countries in the region. It is an alternative route to the traditional Northern Corridor and Southern Corridor.
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.