GCC and Central Asian Foreign Ministers Meet to Boost Energy and Transport Cooperation

Foreign ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Central Asian republics convened in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to discuss deepening cooperation on energy, transport, and transit routes. The meeting focused on the Trans Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) and the proposed Iraq Development Road, while also addressing security concerns related to transnational terrorist groups in Afghanistan.

The joint declaration emphasized the importance of improving energy cooperation and transport connectivity between the two regions, which are both important geographical, cultural, and transit crossroads on the Eurasian landmass.

Kazakhstan has effectively reduced the transportation and delivery time of goods from China to Europe by almost a week, with the delivery time now taking 19-23 days, including six days through Kazakhstan's territory. This is twice as fast as last year. A Joint Committee for Transportation Development will be created to increase the speed and quality of transit transportation, and Kazakhstan's parliament is expected to review and ratify an agreement with Turkey on international combined transport of goods.

Why this matters: The meeting between GCC and Central Asian foreign ministers highlights the growing importance of regional connectivity and economic integration in Eurasia. The development of transport corridors like the TITR and the Iraq Development Road could significantly boost trade and energy cooperation between the Gulf and Central Asia, while also addressing shared security challenges in the region.

On April 17, 2024, container transport of tomato paste resumed along the TITR from Xinjiang, China to the port of Naples, Italy. The container train will pass through Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia before reaching the port of Poti, Georgia, where the containers will be loaded onto a COSCO Shipping Container Lines vessel. The expected transit time is 11 days, and a single transport document will be used along the entire multimodal route. Additional block trains carrying tomato paste are planned to leave Urumqi for Italy on the TITR route in the coming weeks and months, with the number and frequency of departures to be further increased.

The meeting was part of a series of high-level dialogues and forums planned between the GCC and Central Asian countries to further strengthen their burgeoning relationship and pursue practical solutions to shared challenges. The next steps for GCC-Central Asia cooperation include investment forums and a strategic dialogue between the heads of state in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, next year, with the aim of creating a concrete roadmap and securing funding to make these energy and transit projects a reality. However, security challenges, such as the growing presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, could hinder the development of these projects.

Key Takeaways

• GCC and Central Asian foreign ministers met to deepen energy, transport, and transit cooperation
• Kazakhstan aims to increase transit volume through its territory from 23.2 to 35 million tons by 2030
• Kazakhstan has reduced China-Europe goods delivery time to 19-23 days, twice as fast as last year
• Container transport of tomato paste resumed along the TITR route from China to Italy in 11 days
• GCC-Central Asia to hold investment forums and a strategic dialogue to secure funding for projects