Transport Minister says Middle Corridor is a strategic necessity for Europe
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stated that due to disruptions in global supply chains and geopolitical developments, the Middle Corridor has become a strategic necessity for the European Union.
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu spoke at a high-level connectivity event in Brussels. Uraloğlu stated that disruptions in global supply chains have highlighted the need for reliable, resilient, and high-capacity land corridors.
Turkey is Europe's gateway
The Minister emphasized that following the Russia-Ukraine war, Turkey has become the most important land gateway for the European Union. He said the Middle Corridor, also known as the East-West Corridor passing through the Caspian Sea, is an opportunity not only for Turkey but also for the interests of Central Asia and Europe.
Uraloğlu said, "The Middle Corridor is not a simple transportation line connecting our regions, but a strategic axis that strengthens economic security and the continuity of trade."
The corridor's future and global risks
He stated that the corridor's future lies in increasing its capacity, developing its digital infrastructure, facilitating border crossing procedures, and supporting it with integrated investment projects.
He added that recent challenges in the Red Sea and developments around the Strait of Hormuz demonstrate the scale of risks threatening global supply chains. Uraloğlu underlined that keeping the Strait of Hormuz continuously open to commercial maritime traffic is extremely important for the stability of global trade and supply chains.
Technical details of the Middle Corridor
The Middle Corridor connects China to European countries via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey. This route reduces delivery time between Europe and Asia to 15 days and turns Turkey into a "trade backbone" directly connecting to 21 countries.
The total length of the corridor is stated as 4,256 kilometers via roads and railways, and 508 kilometers by sea.
