BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 14. Turkmenistan highlighted the importance of the Caspian region for international transport infrastructure and expressed interest in using its transit potential.
This was reflected in a press release issued by the press service of the Turkmen government following Turkmen Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Khojamyrat Geldimyradov’s remarks at the 111th meeting of the CIS Economic Council in Ashgabat.
According to Geldimyradov, the geographic position of CIS countries allows them to serve as a key link in developing sustainable logistics routes between Europe and Asia, with the North-South and East-West international transport corridors of particular importance.
He also emphasized Turkmenistan's interest in the effective use of the Caspian's transit potential based on mutually beneficial cooperation.
As part of its CIS chairmanship, Turkmenistan proposed declaring 2029 the Year of Transport Connectivity. The initiative is intended to give additional impetus to transport cooperation among CIS countries, the report noted.
The proposed thematic year could serve as a platform for implementing projects in transport infrastructure, international routes, digitalization of transportation, multimodal connectivity and transport security, as well as addressing existing infrastructure and administrative barriers, Geldimyradov said.
Notably, the Caspian's economic role has gained increasing attention as changing water levels affect ports, shipping routes and coastal infrastructure across the region. For Turkmenistan, whose Turkmenbashi International Seaport serves as a key gateway for Trans-Caspian cargo flows, maintaining efficient maritime connectivity has become increasingly important for trade and logistics.
The sea is also central to offshore energy production, fisheries, and regional transport projects linking Central Asia with Azerbaijan and onward to Europe, making its long-term management an increasingly important issue for both economic planning and regional cooperation.
