The development of the transport sector in the modern era is among the key factors of geopolitics, serves as a powerful integration resource that provides large economic and political preferences to states and regions, promotes the consolidation of joint efforts to achieve sustainable development goals. In this context, large-scale projects are being implemented aimed at the formation of a modern, extensive and safe international transport infrastructure, turning the transport segment into one of the main mechanisms for the development of the global economy.
Based on this, the most important component of the state policy implemented today by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov is the development of transit and transport infrastructure. The advantageous geographical position of Turkmenistan - at the intersection of international transport routes running through Central Asia, predetermined the colossal potential of the industry in the field of transit transportation, and significant capital investments in this area have brought it to the category of one of the most dynamically developing areas of the national economy.
At the same time, the role of Turkmenistan as a major hub in the formation of a ramified, complex, combined transport infrastructure covering vast areas of Eurasia with access to sea terminals in the Caspian, Black Sea and Baltic regions, South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region is steadily growing.
Today, our country is expanding transport and transit corridors in the «North-South» and «East-West» directions, actively participating in the creation of international transport corridors, putting forward specific proposals for optimizing transport flows, creating new transport and transit corridors at international forums and high-level meetings.
One of the striking examples of this was the discussion at the recent negotiations in Tehran between the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian on cooperation in the transport sector. In particular, special emphasis was placed on the need for more effective use of the opportunities available in this area, taking into account the availability of modern infrastructure for transit transportation.
In this context, the major role of the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway was noted – a key link in the «North-South» transport corridor, which is the most cost-effective railway route between Asia and Europe and serves the interests of peace, universal well-being and sustainable development. Based on this, a number of constructive initiatives were put forward at the Turkmen-Iranian summit, aimed at both activating this railway line and increasing the volume of freight traffic.
At the same time, an initiative was voiced to create a transport and transit corridor Armenia-Iran-Turkmenistan-Kazakhstan with the aim of effectively using this route in the future. The practical implementation of this promising project opens up enormous opportunities for the full functioning of transport and transit corridors of Turkmenistan, contributing to its establishment in the status of a major logistics hub of continental significance. In addition, this step is intended to promote the strengthening of mutually beneficial cooperation in this strategically important area for all parties, and will give a powerful impetus to broad intraregional and international integration.
