ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, September 27. Turkmenistan and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) will strengthen their partnership to increase the potential of transport and transit corridors in North-South and East-West directions, Trend reports, referring to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.
According to the information, the issue was discussed at the meeting of Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov with ECO Secretary General Asad M. Khan on the margins of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
The sides emphasized the importance of strengthening cross-border economic activities through corridors, which play a strategic role in the integration of regional economies.
The meeting discussed prospects for further cooperation in areas such as energy, communications, trade, and digitalization and cultural ties.
The minister also reiterated his readiness to actively participate in strengthening the international legal framework within the ECO framework and enhancing the human resource potential of the organization. Furthermore, the sides considered strengthening partnerships within the framework of the UN platforms.
Turkmenistan actively participates in the development of the North-South and West-East transport corridors, which increases the country's role in regional logistics.
Turkmenistan, together with Russia, Kazakhstan, and Iran, signed a roadmap in July 2024 to promote the eastern branch of the North-South corridor. The initiative aims to increase the capacity of the corridor to 15 million tons per year by 2027 and 20 million tons by 2030. The corridor is designed to provide efficient multimodal transport routes linking the Indian Ocean with the Caspian and Baltic Seas, significantly reducing transit costs and time compared to traditional routes.