ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 19. Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or Middle Corridor) effectively complements the 'Belt and Road' initiative, said President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Trend reports.
He made the remark during a meeting with representatives of the Italian business community in Rome.
Tokayev noted that to become a regional hub, Kazakhstan is actively developing the Middle Corridor.
"We intend to link it with the EU's Trans-European Transport Network and the Global Gateway strategy. We also support the G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) initiative," he noted.
According to him, over the past 15 years, Kazakhstan has invested more than $35 billion in transport infrastructure.
"In the next three years, we plan to build over 1,300 kilometers of railways. This will increase the transportation of goods to China, South Asia, and Europe. Therefore, we invite Italian investors to take an active part in the development of our ports, the joint production of transport vessels, and the creation of logistic centers."
"With 13 international routes across Kazakhstan and direct flights between Almaty and Milan, we are connected like never before. We welcome plans to open direct flights between Astana and Rome and Milan. This will contribute to the development of our economic relations and connections between people, as well as the promotion of tourism," he said.
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.