Baku: The 22nd International Seminar, titled 'Advancing the Multimodal Digital Trans-Caspian Corridor: Methodology and Next Steps,' was held in a hybrid format at the headquarters of the PS IGC TRACECA in Baku. The event was organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), jointly with the PS IGC TRACECA and development partners. The seminar brought together heads and leading experts from relevant government agencies in the TRACECA and SPECA regions, as well as representatives of the European Commission, the World Bank, GIZ, ITC, and the business community.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, welcoming remarks were delivered by Secretary General of the PS IGC TRACECA Jasurbek Choriev, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Azerbaijan Marijana Kujund€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬¦¡¬¦¾ic, and Adviser to the Minister of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Namazov. The main item on the agenda was consideration of the draft Methodology for the Trans-Caspian Digital Corridor, developed on the basis of UN/CEFACT standards, as well as discussion of best practices in data exchange. Particular attention was paid to the status of pilot projects aimed at the digitalization of rail, maritime, road, and air transport.
In his remarks, Secretary General Jasurbek Choriev emphasized that digitalization has become a prerequisite for the competitiveness of international routes. He noted the transition from individual experiments, including the eCIM/SMGS pilots and data exchange between Caspian ports, to scaling up and the practical deployment of a fully fledged multimodal digital corridor. 'The key challenges remain the mutual recognition of electronic documents, the synchronization of administrative procedures, and ensuring the interoperability of digital platforms on the basis of UN/CEFACT standards,' he noted.
EU Ambassador Marijana Kujundic highlighted the strategic role of the South Caucasus and Central Asia in ensuring global connectivity and diversifying sustainable supply chains. She stressed the importance of the EU's Global Gateway strategy, European experience in deploying the TEN-T network, as well as the EU-Azerbaijan Connectivity Partnership initiative. Particular emphasis was placed on the new Connectivity for Peace investment package, worth up to EUR 200 million, with the potential to attract up to EUR 2 billion in investment in the region's transport, energy, and digital sectors.
Following three thematic sessions and an expert roundtable, participants discussed issues related to the digitalization of accompanying documents, regulatory convergence, and cybersecurity in data exchange. The seminar represented a further practical step toward implementing the Roadmap for the Digitalisation of Multimodal Data Exchange along the Trans-Caspian Route, endorsed by the countries' leaders at the SPECA Summit in November 2023.
The initiative builds on the outcomes of the 2022 Baku Conference and the 2023 SPECA Ministerial Statement, consolidating the results of a series of regional seminars held in Turkmenistan, Baku, and Astana in 2025-2026.