ISRS expert: Strengthening transport connectivity in the OTS space – an important factor of economic progress and sustainable development

The effective use of the transport and transit potential of the OTS countries serves the common interests of all Turkic countries – their location at the geostrategically important crossroads of Eurasia, which connect the transit corridors North and South, West and East, create all the conditions for turning the OTS space into a competitive hub in the global logistics network.

The special interest of Uzbekistan in the Organization is dictated by the geo-economic realities of the region: out of 5 neighboring states that have common borders with Uzbekistan, 2 countries are members of the OTS (Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan) and 1 country is an observer (Turkmenistan). Today, transportation of goods in the export-import and transit communications of Uzbekistan is carried out mainly along 9 international transport corridors, including using multimodal transportation, 8 of which pass through at least one OTS member country.

In this vein, favorable opportunities are opening up today for turning the Trans-Caspian “Middle Corridor” into a promising platform for the future integration of the OTS countries into a single transport system. The implementation of a set of joint measures aimed at increasing throughput, reducing the time and cost of transportation, digitalizing the transport and logistics system of this corridor, as well as harmonizing and synchronizing the customs and transport legislation of countries, will bring our countries closer to this strategic goal.

The implementation of the China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan railway construction project and its integration with other promising transport projects is intended to be an important contribution to the restoration of the overland route from China to Europe, which once passed through the territories of the Turkic countries and promoted the development of trade, cultural and spiritual exchange between nations. The restoration of the Zangezur Corridor can also provide an additional shortest land route from Asia to Europe.

Thanks to the integrated transport system, the OTS countries have a tremendous opportunity to enter the markets of neighboring regions (Europe, the Middle East, Africa), which in the future allows turning the Organization space into a key transport and logistics corridor in Eurasia.

It also provides a unique opportunity for the Turkic countries to diversify transport and transit corridors and strengthen the positions of the OTS members in the international trade system and global supply chains.

Thus, the development of transport corridors and the implementation of joint projects to create a logistics infrastructure is one of the strategic components of interaction in the OTS space. In this context, the Samarkand Summit is intended to open a new milestone in the activities of the Organization and lay a solid foundation for strengthening transport connectivity in the OTS space.

Sarvar Kamolov,

Chief Researcher at ISRS under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan