BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 8. Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan must work together with international financial organizations and private investors to increase capacity and improve logistics for deliveries between the ports of Aktau, Kuryk, and Baku, Richard Spooner, a member of the Advisory Board of the Caspian Policy Center (CPC) told TurkicWorld.
He noted that investments are the key element that will enable the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor, to retain its relevance should geopolitical tensions in the neighboring regions subside.
"I think it will retain its relevance. Decisions to be made now about committing money to investment in logistics and infrastructure for the Middle Corridor can’t be cancelled once the work has begun. Therefore, the systems developed will remain relevant," Spooner noted.
He added that although certain positives of the northern route through Russia do exist, relationship between the West and Russia have gone from bad to worse, which makes it less likely that this route will be reinstated.
The CPC representative added that despite this, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and other states participating in the Middle Corridor need to improve cooperation on logistics to nullify the benefits of alternative routes, should the geopolitical variable be eliminated.
Earlier, he said that decision-makers in the US, the EU and the Gulf states support the implementation of Middle Corridor due to its feasibility and importance.