Turkic Week in Vienna features OTS Round Table on Middle Corridor

WNAM REPORT: The Round Table entitled “From the Silk Road to the Middle Corridor: Promoting Connectivity through Transport and Trade Facilitation” was held on January 13 at the OSCE Hofburg (Bibliotheksaal) in Vienna within the framework of the Turkic Week, organized by the Organization of Turkic States (OTS).
The Round Table opened with remarks by Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu, Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and Kubanychbek Omuraliev, OTS Secretary General. In their opening statements, the speakers underlined the growing importance of transport connectivity and trade facilitation in fostering regional cooperation, economic resilience, and sustainable development across Eurasia.
The event was moderated by Bakyt Dzhusupov, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, who guided the discussions and highlighted the relevance of enhanced connectivity for regional integration and multilateral cooperation.
The Round Table featured a keynote intervention by Umberto de Pretto, Secretary General of the International Road Transport Union (IRU), who addressed global trends in international road transport, the role of digitalization, and the importance of public–private cooperation in improving transport efficiency along international corridors.
The discussions were further enriched by contributions from senior officials and experts, including: Fariz Aliyev, Head of the Transport Policy Department of Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Digital Development and Transport; Dr. Alexander Andreas Schierhuber, Independent Director, Member of the Board of Directors of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZh), and Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan in Lower Austria; Nurmat Musabekov, Head of the Transport Policy Department, Ministry of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan; Ayşe Nur Yücel, Specialist at the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of Türkiye; Mirpulat Mirkhamidov, Head of the Department of International Relations, Logistics and Rating, Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan; Askar Kadirov, Secretary General of the Alliance of Logistics Centers and Cargo Carriers of the Turkic States; Frank Busse, Vice President for Europe and Partner at Hamburg Port Consulting; and Luis C. Blancas, Senior Transport and Logistics Specialist at the World Bank.
In his address, the OTS Secretary General emphasized that the Middle Corridor has emerged as a strategically important East–West transport route linking Asia and Europe through the Turkic region. He underlined that the Corridor represents a modern continuation of the historic Silk Road, contributing to diversified, resilient, and sustainable supply chains while supporting trade expansion and economic development across the region.
The Secretary General further highlighted the concrete steps taken by the OTS to advance connectivity, including efforts to digitalize transport and customs procedures, improve border-crossing efficiency, develop multimodal transport hubs, and strengthen cooperation between public authorities and the private sector through OTS-affiliated mechanisms such as the Alliance of Logistics Centers and Cargo Carriers of the Turkic States.
The Round Table brought together members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of public authorities and the private sector of the Republic of Austria, and Heads of the Diplomatic Missions of the OTS Member States and Observers, providing a broad and inclusive platform for dialogue and exchange of views.
The event concluded with a reception held in the Foyer of the Bibliotheksaal, offering participants an opportunity for informal exchanges and networking, and further reinforcing dialogue among international organizations, national authorities, and private-sector stakeholders.