Tengrinews.kz – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev told European partners about the country’s ambition to become a regional logistics hub connecting Europe with Central Asia, China, the Caucasus and the Middle East, citing Akorda.
Tengrinews.kz – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev told European partners about the country’s ambition to become a regional logistics hub connecting Europe with Central Asia, China, the Caucasus and the Middle East, citing Akorda.
“We are investing significant resources in infrastructure, including the construction of thousands of kilometers of new railways and the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. These efforts align naturally with the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy, transforming the Middle Corridor into a key, resilient route for secure transport links across Eurasia,” the Head of State said during the Kazakhstan–EU roundtable in Brussels.
According to him, the modernization of transport infrastructure has already produced impressive results. Over the past six years, freight volumes along the route have increased fivefold — from 0.8 million to 4.1 million tonnes per year.
“Our goal is to increase its capacity to 10 million tonnes. Reaching this milestone will strengthen our position as a vital transport artery in global logistics. To maintain this momentum, Kazakhstan has invested more than $35 billion in transport and logistics infrastructure over the past 15 years. Today, the ports of Aktau and Kuryk on the Caspian Sea serve as important gateways for international transit,” Tokayev noted.
The President also welcomed agreements worth nearly $1 billion signed on Tuesday by the Development Bank of Kazakhstan with the European Investment Bank and with a banking syndicate comprising Commerzbank, JPMorgan Chase Bank and Standard Chartered Bank, backed by a guarantee from MIGA, the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, in the field of logistics infrastructure.
As a reminder, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Brussels on an official visit on Monday, June 22. The following day, the Head of State held talks with European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The parties discussed the further development of the partnership between Kazakhstan and the European Union.
A joint statement was adopted following the talks. In it, EU leaders reaffirmed their intention to deepen cooperation with Kazakhstan under the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement signed in December 2015. According to von der Leyen, mutual trade between Kazakhstan and the EU has more than doubled in the 10 years since the agreement was signed.
