ISTANBUL

The Turkish foreign minister on Friday called for greater cooperation to enhance global trade connectivity, emphasizing Türkiye’s strategic position and commitment to infrastructure development at the Global Transport Connectivity Forum in Istanbul.

“We need to work together today, more than ever, on alternative initiatives to foster confidence and ensure more predictability in international trade,” Hakan Fidan said during the event.

Positioning Türkiye as a “reliable and mandatory partner,” Fidan underscored the country’s geographic advantage at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as its robust trade capacity and longstanding commitment to regional stability.

He noted that under Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s leadership, Türkiye has invested nearly $200 billion in infrastructure over the past two decades, significantly improving regional and global connectivity.

“Uninterrupted connectivity is one of our priorities. That is why we support projects that build bridges, both literally and metaphorically, between Türkiye and its partners in the world,” Fidan said.

“The Trans-Caspian East-West Middle Corridor, which connects China via Central Asia, the Caspian, and Türkiye to Europe, is the most efficient route for this purpose. It will have a major role in transportation connectivity in the period ahead, creating a win-win situation for all stakeholders.”

Development Road

Fidan pointed out the Middle Corridor for addressing the rising geopolitical risks posed by the Russia-Ukraine war and instability in the Middle East.

“The Middle Corridor presents an opportunity for economic development and trade diversification for countries along the road. It also ensures that goods are transported at record speeds and efficiency,” he said.

Noting the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is an important component of the Middle Corridor, he said: “This is the result of exemplary trilateral cooperation between Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.”

He also emphasized recent progress in aligning the Middle Corridor with China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), expressing hopes for deeper collaboration with Beijing “based on mutual benefit.”

Fidan touched on a second strategic project, the Development Road, which aims to create a north-south axis from the Gulf to Europe via Iraq and Türkiye. “This project, which will commence from the port in Iraq, will involve the construction of railways, roads, and energy lines through Iraq to Türkiye and through Türkiye to Europe.”

“Both the Middle Corridor and the Development Road projects will strengthen connectivity and contribute to prosperity by increasing trade, joint investments, and job opportunities along the routes,” he said.

Fidan reiterated Türkiye’s foreign policy goal of establishing a “belt of peace, prosperity, and stability,” stressing: “Prosperity has a positive impact on maintaining security and stability. That is why we consider transport routes in their wider terms as complementary to each other in today's world, where global trade volume is increasing.”

Highlighting new partnerships, Fidan said Türkiye recently became a strategic partner in the Three Seas Initiative, which he described as a “transformative force” in European cohesion and regional development.

He highlighted the importance of connectivity collaborations as a confidence-building factor between countries.

“Collaborations open the door for many new initiatives and projects. After all, transportation and energy corridors are, by definition, only possible through cooperation among countries as well as the public-private sector. I would like to emphasize that Türkiye is committed to this target.

“We are determined to invest in our infrastructure and introduce necessary regulations to facilitate the flow of goods. At the same time, we will continue to support the endeavors of our neighbors and partners,” he said.