ANKARA

Turkey took the chair of the TRACECA Intergovernmental Commission (Transport Corridor Europe Caucasus Asia) for a year starting on Thursday.

During the body’s 11th annual meeting in Istanbul Turkey took leadership of the organization for a year.

Turkey’s Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications Lutfi Elvan said: “We see that the economic center slowly started to show its presence in the east. Which especially increases the importance of strengthening connections between Europe and Central Asia/Far East which are on the TRACECA route.

“That is why it is meaningful for TRACECA member countries to cooperate, develop joint projects and make joint investments. I think that transportation will be faster, safer and comfortable with the cooperation of our countries on land, rail and at sea.”

Elvan also claimed that the government made more than $100 billion of investments over the last 12 years and they aim to make $6-7 billion yearly investment on land routes.

He also said that the government’s goal was to make $4 billion of investment on railways.

TRACECA is an international transport organization which aims to develop, facilitate transportation on road, rail and aviation within member countries. The member countries of the organization are: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Moldova, Romania, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.