Development of Eurasian transcontinental routes has been discussed at the business forum “New Silk Way” in Astana

Kazakhstan according to WEF (world economic forum) ranks 26th out of 136 countries on the quality of railway infrastructure.

On 15 June in the framework of the tenth Astana economic forum the fourth international transport-logistics business forum “New Silk Way” on the theme “New stage in the development of transport and logistics systems in the Eurasian transcontinental routes. Global competitiveness in the new economic reality” took place.

The first deputy Prime Minister of the RK Askar Mamin, the minister of foreign affairs of the RK Kairat Abdrakhmanov, the minister of investments and development of the RK Zhenis Kasymbek, heads of transport and logistics companies of China, UAE, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, Ukraine, Poland and other countries, representatives of the banking and expert communities took part in the work of the business forum.

“Kazakhstan is actively working on the integration of the transport network into the Eurasian transport system and making a significant contribution to its development,”- said the first deputy Prime Minister of the RK A. Mamin.

On the assignment of the Head of the state in the framework of the program “Nurly Zhol” and the Plan of the nation “100 steps” work on the development and modernization of transport and logistics infrastructure of the TRANS-Kazakhstan routes is being done.

«Through the territory of Kazakhstan there have been laid railway and road routes and the air routes, which form efficient transcontinental corridors from Asia to Russia, Europe, Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Persian Gulf“,- said A. Mamin and named the successful alliances for the development of transport in the direction East — West and North — South. They are a United transportation and logistics company (UTLC) and the consortium of the TRANS-Caspian international transport route (TITR), and others.

In a short term a manifold increase in container transit traffic in direction West-East has been provided, traffic flows reoriented, new transport routes opened.

The first deputy Prime Minister of the RK noted that “according to the world economic forum’s data on “the quality of railway infrastructure” Kazakhstan ranks 26th out of 136 countries by the end of 2016.”

In conclusion the first deputy Prime Minister of the RK expressed confidence that the forum “New Silk Way” will be a significant step in the development of transcontinental transportation.

In the framework of the business forum there were held sessions on the themes “The historic competition between the sea and land in direction East — West: the New Silk Way”, “The development of transport infrastructure: catching up or ahead?”, “The interaction of transport and logistics operators. Multimodal transportation. Transit. Benefits, challenges, prospects”.

During the sessions there spoke the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the company “DP World” Sultan Akhmed bin Sulayem, the Chairman of “Azerbaijani Railways” CJSC Dzhavid Gurbanov, the Director General of “Georgian railway” JSC Mamuka Bakhtadze, the mayor of Chengdu city Luo Qiang, the first Vice-President of “Russian Railways” JSC Alexander Misharin, the President of “GP Lianyungang port” LLC Zhu Xianyang, the state Secretary of the Ministry of transport of Romania Maria Grigore, the President of “UTLC” JSC Alex Gromi and others.

The participants of the business forum have discussed the impact of trends at global, European and Asian markets on the development of the transcontinental routes, improving the efficiency of multimodal transport, the role of interstate cooperation in the development of international transport corridors, implementation of innovation in the development of regional transport and logistics infrastructure and others.

International transport-logistics business forum “New Silk Way” was organized by “NC “Kazakhstan Temir Zholy” JSC.