ASTANA — Growing instability around key Middle Eastern maritime chokepoints is increasing the strategic importance of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor, said experts during a May 27 webinar hosted by the Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University in London.
The webinar, titled The Middle Corridor and the Future of U.K.-Central Asia Trade, brought together academics, policy analysts and business representatives to discuss the corridor’s geopolitical and economic significance amid rising global fragmentation. Experts said disruptions affecting the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea are exposing vulnerabilities in global supply chains and strengthening the case for alternative trade and energy routes linking Europe and Asia through Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye.
Renewed tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States and persistent security threats in the Red Sea have intensified concerns over dependence on traditional maritime chokepoints. “The Strait of Hormuz crisis, while demonstrating the vulnerability of traditional routes, has brought renewed attention to the risks of chokepoint dependency and the need for more attention to alternative, emerging pathways like the Middle Corridor,” said Arzu Abbasova, a research analyst at the Center for Finance and Security at the Royal United Services Institute.
“Against a backdrop of growing geopolitical fragmentation, the Middle Corridor is emerging as a strategic space where trade, security, and influence intersect,” she added. Abbasova noted that Azerbaijan considers the corridor a key component of its post-2020 regional connectivity strategy, using infrastructure investment and logistics partnerships to position itself as a central transport hub.
Partnership with Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan The webinar spotlighted Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan as particularly important regional partners for the U.K. due to their strategic locations, energy resources and shared interest in regional stability and open trade. Participants also highlighted the potential geopolitical benefits of improved regional relations in the South Caucasus, including prospects for additional transport links between Armenia and Azerbaijan that could strengthen east-west connectivity.
Beyond transport, experts emphasized Central Asia’s broader economic potential in agriculture, critical minerals and human capital. Professor John Easton of the Edinburgh Business School said infrastructure development along the corridor could significantly affect freight demand and regional logistics patterns.
“The pace of development of the rail infrastructure has the potential for huge impact on the demand for rail freight service. This talk touches on the differences between the rail systems to the east and west of the Middle Corridor, and asks how different approaches to the use of the railway might impact on viability,” said Easton.