Kazakhstan Expands Caspian Ports to Become Regional Transit Powerhouse

Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has announced that Kazakhstan is making significant strides in developing its port infrastructure along the Caspian Sea, aiming to position itself as a key logistics hub linking East and West, as well as North and South.

Bektenov made these remarks at the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit in Azerbaijan’s Khankendi, The Caspian Post reports via local media.

Bektenov highlighted Kazakhstan’s active efforts to enhance vital multimodal transport routes, including the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, the North-South corridor, and transit routes connecting Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

“Significant work is also underway to expand the capacity of our Caspian ports,” Bektenov said. “A container hub has already been opened at the port of Aktau, and a multifunctional terminal is currently under construction at the port of Kuryk.”

The prime minister reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s long-standing commitment to multilateral cooperation and the establishment of an open economic space. He noted that Kazakhstan’s trade turnover with ECO member states is currently showing positive growth.

The 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit is currently taking place in Khankendi, gathering leaders and officials from member countries to explore ways to strengthen regional collaboration.

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev attended the summit.

Also present at the event are the presidents and prime ministers of Tajikistan (Emomali Rahmon), Türkiye (Recep Tayyip Erdoğan), Iran (Masoud Pezeshkian), Uzbekistan (Shavkat Mirziyoyev), Pakistan (Shehbaz Sharif), as well as the leader of Northern Cyprus, Ersin Tatar.