The International Transport Forum will significantly increase the level of trade and economic partnership between Asian and European countries.  This was stated in the greeting of the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov to the participants of the II International Conference and Exhibition "International transport and transit corridors: interconnection and development - 2023", which are held on May 3-4 in Ashgabat.

 “I am convinced that the forum will make it possible to achieve the planned plans for the implementation of large-scale projects that are important for our country and the region to create a multivariate international transport, transit and logistics infrastructure, as well as significantly increase the level of trade and economic partnership between Asian and European countries,” Serdar Berdimuhamedov said in his address.

 “Due to its advantageous geographical location, our sovereign Fatherland is turning into one of the main centers for crossing transcontinental routes, - the head of state continued. - Today, Turkmenistan has an impressive potential for the development of all types of transport.  Targeted measures are also being taken to attract large investments to improve the position of our country as a key transport and transit hub, create new transport and transit corridors and specialized infrastructure”.

 The President also focused on improving the work of rail, road and sea transport in order to activate international transport routes.

 “In this regard, special attention is paid to the systematic improvement of the railway infrastructure of our country.  Turkmenistan, having access to the open sea, is actively integrating into the trans-Caspian communication routes and strives to maximize its potential in this area.  In turn, the construction of the International Seaport made it possible to significantly expand the national marine fleet, increase the volume of cargo traffic and transit traffic, and improve the quality of service for foreign ships”.

“The connection of the high-speed highway connecting the eastern region and the center of our country to the Ashgabat-Turkmenbashi highway will provide access for trucks from the neighboring Republic of Uzbekistan to the International Seaport in the Caspian Sea, and from there to the Caucasus, Europe, southern Russia and northern Iran, to  Persian and Oman straits along the sea routes,” Serdar Berdimuhamedov said.

 The President also added that “Laying a highway and a bridge across Garabogaz along the Turkmenbashi-Kazakhstan route will significantly increase the transport and trade partnership and increase the cargo turnover between the two countries.  In the future, the East-West transport corridor will be launched, which will unite Turkmenistan, Iran, Iraq and Turkey”.

 “Issues of further activation of the international transport corridor Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Oman, creation of a corridor along the route Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia are in the focus of attention of all countries of the region. The implementation of the five-sided Agreement on the establishment of an international transport corridor Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey (Lyapis Lazuli) will bring the regional transport system to a new level,” - Serdar Berdimuhamedov said in his address.