ASHGABAT: Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdimuhamedov highlighted the importance of collaboration among CIS countries on the North-South transport corridor project.
Speaking at the CIS Council of Heads of State meeting in Moscow, he said that this corridor, which runs along the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea with further connections to Iran and the Indian Ocean’s seaports, is a key priority for Turkmenistan.
Berdimuhamedov proposed initiating substantive discussions regarding common tariffs, customs regulations, visas, and other preferences for participating countries in the project. He stressed that developing transport infrastructure is crucial for the CIS economic cooperation strategy through 2030.
He noted that the successful implementation of the North-South project would enhance transport connectivity and strengthen economic ties within the region. He also called for accelerated efforts to establish similar transportation corridors through Central Asia and the Caspian region, particularly in the east-west direction.
“I propose we concretely outline the modalities of this work, including timeframes and agendas, and instruct our relevant agencies accordingly,” the President stated.
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Berdimuhamedov remarked that participation in large-scale international and regional projects would create opportunities for entering new markets and bolstering economic integration, ultimately ensuring the region’s sustainable development.
Turkmenistan is actively engaged in developing both the North-South and West-East transport corridors. In July 2024, Turkmenistan, along with Russia, Kazakhstan, and Iran, signed a roadmap to enhance the eastern branch of the North-South corridor. This initiative aims to increase the corridor’s capacity to 15 million tons per year by 2027 and 20 million tons by 2030, providing efficient multimodal transport routes that connect the Indian Ocean with the Caspian and Baltic Seas, significantly reducing transit costs and time.
The CIS Council meeting, chaired by President Vladimir Putin, took place on October 8, 2024. Following the meeting, a program for cooperation in deradicalization for 2025-2027, proposed by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, was adopted. The heads of state also signed a statement on cooperation in artificial intelligence, underscoring the need for state oversight in its implementation and the establishment of an international AI regulation system under the United Nations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
