Transcaspian News - June 2025

Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Georgia & Bulgaria will develop a new electricity interconnection to boost regional energy trade and security. Erdoğan called it a historic step during Baku Energy Week, highlighting expanded green energy cooperation and future gas projects with Azerbaijan. 

At Munich's Transport Logistic 2025 fair, Azerbaijan Railways and China Railway Container Transport discussed increasing block trains via the MiddleCorridor. Talks also covered digital tracking platforms and joint initiatives to expand Eurasian freight flow. 

Bulgaria’s Burgas and Varna ports may join the MiddleCorridor via the Trans-Caspian route, boosting East–West connectivity. Kazakhstan and Bulgaria plan deeper trade, energy, and transport cooperation, including a joint Business Council. 

Presidents Mirziyoyev and Radev sign a joint declaration to expand Uzbekistan–Bulgaria ties. New partnership links Tashkent and Sofia, with plans for cooperation in agriculture, pharma, tourism, and direct flights. 

President Ilham Aliyev has officially approved a visa-free agreement between Azerbaijan and China for ordinary passport holders. The move aims to boost tourism, trade, and diplomatic ties between the two strategic partners. Citizens can now travel without a visa, simplifying cross-border mobility. 

Tajikistan and #Qatar are expanding cooperation in green and renewable energy! During the 4th International Investment Forum in Tashkent, ministers from both countries discussed collaboration on sustainable energy, investment, agriculture, and tourism. This marks a major step toward cleaner development and stronger economic ties.

Uzbekistan’s $30.5B in deals at the Tashkent Investment Forum reflects growing global confidence. With 8,000+ participants and bold projects, the country is repositioning itself—from resource base to reform-minded investment hub.

Kazakhstan has proposed building a joint cargo terminal with China at Kuryk Port on the Caspian Sea to boost the Trans-Caspian route. 85% of China's land freight to Europe already passes through Kazakhstan. The region’s role as a logistics hub is expanding fast. 

Turkmenistan’s envoy to Azerbaijan says expert-level work is underway on a fiber-optic cable under the CaspianSea. The project, led by AzerTelecom & Turkmentelecom, aims to boost regional digital connectivity across Asia and the Middle East.

Uzbekistan plans a high-voltage power link to China via Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The goal: a unified energy system across CentralAsia, enabling seasonal energy exchange and boosting green energy integration. Talks advance after Xi’an Summit.

China’s first freight train from Zhejiang to Baku via Turkmenistan marks a new Middle Corridor route. 100 containers will reach #Azerbaijan through the Caspian Sea, easing pressure on the Aktau–Baku line and boosting China–Europe logistics. 

Kazakhstan is installing Central Asia’s first NVIDIA H200 supercomputer in Almaty. With 6.7M CUDA cores and 1600 PFLOPS, it will boost AI, simulate disasters, improve healthcare, and train Kazakh-language models—independent of foreign servers. 

President Ilham Aliyev has approved the Cooperation Plan with China under the Belt and Road Initiative. Azerbaijan’s Economy and Foreign Ministries will now implement the agreement and notify Beijing of its entry into force. 

Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are deepening cooperation in trade, transport, energy, and construction. Kazakhstan has become Azerbaijan’s top wheat supplier, covering 88% of imports in 2025. Major regional projects are also on the agenda. 

China and CentralAsia expand regional ties at key forums in Astana, focusing on Silk Road cooperation, media partnerships, green energy, and cultural exchange. Over 240 experts and officials explored joint development strategies to build a shared future. 

“Diplomatic World Sweden” spotlights Azerbaijan’s central role in shaping the MiddleCorridor—a modern Silk Road linking Europe and Asia via the Caspian. Fast transit, green energy, and digital hubs put Azerbaijan at the heart of Eurasian trade. 

Uzbekistan and Mongolia signed a comprehensive partnership, covering mining, agriculture, education, environment, and direct flights between capitals. Key projects include mineral exploration and expanded trade routes to boost regional ties. 

Uzbekistan's Senate has approved legal reforms to end double taxation on imports, aligning trade laws with WTO standards. The move simplifies customs rules, boosts fair trade, and supports the country's WTO membership process. 

Kazakhstan ratified a key alliance treaty with Kyrgyzstan, boosting cooperation in defense, trade, energy, and transit. A major border logistics hub will open by 2026, aiming to raise bilateral trade to $3B by 2030 under the expanded strategic partnership. 

Uzbekistan and Sweden signed a historic declaration on labor migration, launching projects to train Uzbek specialists for Sweden’s construction, logistics, and healthcare sectors. The deal aims to create legal, transparent migration channels and prevent illegal migration. 

Azerbaijan deepens green energy cooperation with China’s CEEC, focusing on offshore wind, solar, hydro, and power grid development. A new study deal with EPPEI will help Azerbaijan meet its 2030 renewable energy targets.

Cargo shipments via the MiddleCorridor surged 62% in 2024, hitting 4.5M tons. China-Europe transit soared 28 times, boosting the route’s role as a key Eurasian trade link. Kazakhstan added new terminals to support growth. 

Georgia has completed 98.5% of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway on its territory, PM Kobakhidze announced. The project will boost cargo capacity from 27 to 48 million tons, strengthening the MiddleCorridor and connecting Asia to Europe more efficiently.