Internet along the Caspian seabed: Tokayev and Aliyev launch international project
During the launch ceremony of the large-scale project, the President of Kazakhstan stated that the FOCL will provide a powerful synergistic effect to the joint efforts of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan in developing the Middle Corridor.
"We have launched a very important project that will have international resonance. Most importantly, it is a new type of corridor. This is not just a transport corridor, but something new that fits into the modern era—the era of digitalization. It is a fundamentally new format of cooperation, a digital embodiment of the Middle Corridor," the President of Kazakhstan emphasized.
Photo by the Akorda press serviceIn turn, Ilham Aliyev called the launch of the FOCL another step toward strengthening cooperation between Central Asia and Azerbaijan.
"Last year, Azerbaijan was accepted as a full member of the Consultative Meetings of the Heads of State of Central Asia; this year, I participated as a full member of this organization. This project is a further contribution to deepening cooperation, as the FOCL will be utilized by Central Asian countries, South Caucasian nations, and the broader geographical region. Today, we have launched a global project," said the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Photo by the Akorda press service
The opening ceremony also featured speeches by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev, Azerbaijan's Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev, and Chairman of the Board of Kazakhtelecom JSC Bagdat Musin.
In the presence of the heads of state, an exchange ceremony was held for the signed Agreement on Cooperation for the Development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Photo by the Akorda press service
The document establishes a unified legal framework for the sustainable operation and comprehensive development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor) amid the transformation of global trade and logistics chains.
The agreement will ensure the synchronized expansion of infrastructure capacity, eliminate bottlenecks in railway, road, and port sections of the route, and facilitate the joint development of a dredging fleet and maritime shipping in the Caspian Sea.
Photo by the Akorda press service
A key section of the document is dedicated to the large-scale digitalization of shipping, involving the integration of information systems, the implementation of a "single window" principle, end-to-end cargo traceability, and the conclusion of a separate agreement on the mutual recognition of electronic digital signatures.
Furthermore, the agreement significantly simplifies administrative, border, and customs procedures through the introduction of preliminary information sharing, minimization of inspections, and mutual recognition of Authorized Economic Operator status.
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A post by the Television and Radio Complex of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (@ptrk.kz)
Notably, the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) took place in Baku on October 15, with Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in attendance. He praised Azerbaijan's dynamic chairmanship, aimed at expanding CICA's potential as a unique platform for dialogue, confidence-building, and comprehensive cooperation.