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Kazakhstan has signed agreements worth $462 million to strengthen the Middle Corridor, a major trade route connecting Europe and Asia, the country's national railway operator, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), announced.
The agreements were finalized on Monday during a business forum in Brussels focused on enhancing connectivity between Kazakhstan and the European Union and unlocking the strategic potential of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), commonly known as the Middle Corridor, according to the statement.
The conference brought together more than 100 representatives from government agencies, international financial institutions and leading European transport and logistics companies to discuss the future development of the route.
KTZ said four agreements were reached during the forum, aimed at expanding transport infrastructure, improving logistics efficiency and increasing cargo flows between Asia and Europe.
Among the agreements, Switzerland-based aviation technology company SITA signed a memorandum of cooperation with Kazakhstan's Transport Ministry to support the comprehensive digitalization of state airports, including the introduction of biometric identification systems.
Kazakhstan's national road operator Kazavtozhol, also signed a loan agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for the reconstruction of the Aktobe-Ulgaisyn highway. Financial details of the loan were not disclosed.
KTZ Express, a subsidiary of KTZ, signed an agreement with Midia Marine Terminal to develop a joint project at Romania's Port of Midia on the Black Sea. The project is expected to expand the route's infrastructure capacity and improve cargo-handling efficiency.
KTZ Express and A.P. Moller-Maersk also reached agreements to develop container transportation along the Middle Corridor and attract additional cargo volumes to the route.
The companies said they would work on expanding multimodal transport solutions by combining Maersk's maritime services with KTZ's land transport infrastructure, with the aim of speeding up cargo deliveries between Asia and Europe.
Separately, KTZ held discussions with DHL Global Forwarding on long-term cooperation along the corridor. The railway operator pointed to DHL's container service between Türkiye and China as an example of the route's growing importance for trade between China, Central Asia, Türkiye and Europe.
Speaking at the conference, KTZ Chairman Talgat Aldybergenov outlined plans to further expand Kazakhstan's transport infrastructure and international terminal network, highlighting their role in increasing freight volumes along the Middle Corridor.
The event took place during Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's official visit to Brussels at the invitation of European Council President António Costa.
The Middle Corridor connects China and Europe through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye, serving as one of the main overland trade routes between Asia and Europe.
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