Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia play vital roles as transit routes for the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or Middle Corridor), former U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan and Georgia and adjunct senior fellow at the RAND Corporation William Courtney said.
He noted that the role of the Middle Corridor is growing for several reasons.
"Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia play critical roles as Middle Corridor transit routes. Chinese investment is also critical for upgrading transportation infrastructure and providing goods for shipment via the Corridor," Courtney said.
According to him, a major difficulty in the Corridor is the lack of and high cost of inter-modal transportation.
"More barge capacity across the Caspian Sea is needed, as is greater container port capacity at Georgian Black Sea ports. Rail infrastructure along the Middle Corridor requires improvement. Privatized rail systems could attract more private capital and technology and be more efficient," Courtney said.
