Representatives of Turkmenistan participated in the 22nd International Seminar “Advancing the Multimodal Digital Trans-Caspian Corridor: Methodology and Next Steps,” held in a hybrid format at the headquarters of the Permanent Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Commission TRACECA (PS IGC TRACECA) in Baku.
The seminar was organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), together with the PS IGC TRACECA and development partners, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Digital Development and Transport reported, according to AZERTAC.
The event brought together officials and experts from relevant agencies of TRACECA and SPECA countries, as well as representatives of the European Commission, World Bank, GIZ, ITC and the business community. Representatives from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Romania, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan and Ukraine also participated.
The main topic of the agenda was consideration of the draft Trans-Caspian Digital Corridor Methodology, developed based on UN CEFACT standards, and the exchange of best practices in data sharing. Experts paid particular attention to implementing pilot projects for the digitalization of rail, maritime, road and air transport.
Participants discussed moving from individual pilot projects to the practical deployment of a multimodal digital corridor. Jasurbek Choriyev, secretary-general of the PS IGC TRACECA, said digitalization has become essential for the competitiveness of international transport routes.
“The key challenges remain the mutual recognition of electronic documents, synchronization of administrative procedures and ensuring the interoperability of digital platforms based on UN CEFACT standards,” Choriyev said.
Three thematic sessions and an expert roundtable also addressed the digitization of accompanying documents, the alignment of regulatory requirements and cybersecurity in data exchange.
The seminar marked another practical step in implementing the Road Map for the Digitalization of Multimodal Data Exchange along the Trans-Caspian Route, approved by the leaders of the countries at the SPECA Summit in November 2023.
The initiative builds on the outcomes of the 2022 Baku Conference and the 2023 SPECA Ministerial Statement, incorporating the results of a series of regional seminars held in Turkmenistan, Baku and Astana in 2025-2026.
