ASTANA – The Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor could increase the combined gross domestic product of countries along the route by 3.3% and generate around two million jobs by 2040 if governments invest in infrastructure and improve cross-border coordination, according to a World Bank report presented in Astana on Oct.
15. “The Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, also known as the Middle Corridor, is more than a transit route. It can help Central Asian countries connect with global markets, attract investment, diversify their economies and create business opportunities,” said Andrei Mikhnev, World Bank country manager for Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
Speaking at the New Silk Way business forum, Mikhnev noted that Central Asia’s strategic location between Europe and Asia creates opportunities, but geography alone is not enough to deliver economic benefits. “The European Union has even nailed the term ‘Global Gateway,’ of which this transport corridor is an important part.
But geography alone does not create opportunities. The challenge is to turn connectivity into economic value, and transit flows into broader development,” he said. Countries along the corridor have invested in railways, roads, ports, logistics facilities and border crossings, while pursuing reforms to facilitate trade and strengthen regional cooperation According to Mikhnev, further progress will depend on more closely coordinated operations, streamlined border procedures, digitalization and greater private sector participation.
Luis Blancas, World Bank’s senior transport and logistics specialist, presented the report’s findings, describing the corridor as a platform for private investment, job creation and economic growth. He noted that the route offers distinct benefits depending on countries’ geographic locations and trade needs.
Luis Blancas, the World Bank’s senior transport and logistics specialist, presented the report’s findings. Photo credit: The Astana Times “For the five Central Asian countries, the corridor provides access to global markets and helps diversify trade routes. For the South Caucasus and Türkiye, it offers a more direct connection to Europe, Central Asia and East Asia.
For China and Western Europe, it provides an alternative for containerized freight,” Blancas said. The corridor is also complementary to other Eurasian trade routes, rather than necessarily competing with them, because each route has different costs, operating conditions and advantages for particular types of cargo.
According to the Middle Corridor Association, total freight volumes on the route grew at an average annual rate of 34% between 2021 and 2025. Containerized freight volumes increased by an average of 32% annually over the same period.