Kazakhstan Emerges as Key Geopolitical and Transport Hub Connecting East and West

Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Kuantyrov has said that Kazakhstan is strengthening its role as a geopolitical and geoeconomic bridge between East and West.

Kuantyrov made these remarks during the KGIR-2025 global investment roundtable, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

Highlighting the country’s strategic infrastructure, Kuantyrov noted that Kazakhstan has invested over $35 billion in transport development, including 21,000 km of railways, 95,000 km of roads, and two Caspian ports - Aktau and Kuryk. He added that eight international corridors pass through the country, positioning Kazakhstan as a central hub of the One Belt - One Road initiative and a key transport partner for China, the EU, and Central Asia.

Kuantyrov emphasized the Middle Corridor as the most dynamic route, with transit traffic growing 60 per cent in 2024, reaching 4-5 million tons. Beyond transport, Kazakhstan’s agricultural potential is massive, boasting 213 million hectares of agricultural land, including 178 million hectares of pasture, ranking sixth globally by agricultural land area and making it Central Asia’s largest grain producer.

The remarks come amid expanding cooperation with Azerbaijan on the Middle Corridor, including $62 million in ferry investments, underscoring Kazakhstan’s growing role in regional trade and logistics.