TRACECA and OTS: practical steps for the economic development of the countries of the region and the opportunities for cooperation in the transport sector

During the meeting, an exchange of views and information on priorities and activities in the transport and transit sector took place. The participants of the meeting discussed measures to develop container traffic and eliminate bottlenecks in the corridors, the issues of tariff setting and increasing the transit potential in the region.
 
The issues of the Agenda raised during the meeting by Assavbayev A.A. include practical implementation of initiatives and projects bringing the TRACECA countries closer to achieving the goals and objectives of the MLA. In particular, among the TRACECA initiatives, the digitalization of the corridor, introduction of electronic transport documents, increase in the efficiency of shipping lines, simplification of border crossing procedures, harmonization of legislation are of particular importance.
 
In addition, one of the priority initiatives noted in the framework of the introduction of electronic transport documents was the Global Transit Document (GTrD), based on IBM block-chain technology.
 
The TRACECA Secretary General noted the significant role of the Organization of Turkic States, which also focused its efforts on promoting the development of mutual trade, investment potential, border relations, as well as ensuring socio-economic development.
 
Recognizing the importance of transit corridors connecting Europe with Central Asia, in particular the Middle Corridor, and the need for effective integration of modes of transport, the parties agreed to cooperate in the implementation of digital solutions to optimize transport and transit procedures and organize block trains.
 
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TRACECA is an internationally recognized programme, whose participants are 13 countries that have signed the "Basic Multilateral Agreement on International Transport for Development of the Europe-the Caucasus-Asia Corridor": the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Bulgaria, Georgia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan, Republic of Uzbekistan and Ukraine. Greece and Lithuania are observer countries in the MLA TRACECA.

The OTS is an international organization established on 3 October 2009 under the name of the Turkic Council in Nakhichevan and uniting modern states with the aim of comprehensive cooperation between the Turkic peoples. At the moment, it includes Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Hungary participate as observers.
   
On 12 November 2021, at the VIII Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States in Istanbul, the Turkic Council was renamed as the Organization of Turkic States.