According to sea-news.az that the Middle Corridor has evolved beyond being merely a transport route connecting the East and the West. Today, it is gradually becoming one of the primary platforms for shaping a new economic architecture for Eurasia, where, alongside the development of ports, railways, and logistics centers, trust, international partnership, and human capital play an increasingly vital role.
Against the backdrop of transforming global supply chains, the countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus possess a unique opportunity not only to strengthen their transit potential but also to become full-fledged participants in global economic processes. This was discussed in an interview with Mirshod Shakirov, an Uzbek expert on transport and logistics and founder of the international “Business Diplomat” platform.
– Mr. Shakirov, today many know you as a “business diplomat” and one of the first experts to promote the concept of business diplomacy in Central Asia. Over the last few years, you have actively developed this approach, helping regional entrepreneurs build international connections and reach global markets. What does economic diplomacy mean in the context of the Middle Corridor’s development?
– For me, business diplomacy is a means of turning connections into partnerships, partnerships into projects, and projects into long-term economic development. Today, many speak of the Middle Corridor merely as a transport route between Asia and Europe. I view this differently. To me, the Middle Corridor is the Silk Road of the 21st century. This philosophy inspired me to create the “Business Diplomat” platform, the world’s first “Think-Do Tank” dedicated to the modern Silk Road. We consciously call ourselves a “Think-Do Tank” because we believe that merely researching global processes is not enough—we must bring entrepreneurs together, create real international partnerships, and turn ideas into concrete economic projects.
We are accustomed to discussions about containers, railcars, ports, and kilometers of track. But if you look deeper, it becomes clear: railways do not negotiate. People do. Containers do not build trust. Trust is built by people.
Therefore, economic diplomacy is about working with human relations, which allows the economy to move faster. Ultimately, any trade route is only as effective as the ability of people on both sides to cooperate efficiently. That is why I often say that today we are creating more than just a new transport corridor. We are building a new corridor of trust between Eurasian countries, entrepreneurs, and societies.
– Significant investments are currently being directed toward ports, railways, and logistics centers. However, you speak of the need to develop “human infrastructure.” What do you mean by that?
– We are investing billions of dollars in ports, terminals, railways, and logistics centers. That is absolutely correct. But I often ask my audience a simple question: what is more important—building a road between two countries or building trust between two entrepreneurs? In reality, both are necessary. A container can move from point A to point B, but investment, joint ventures, and new markets only emerge when trust is established. I call this human infrastructure.
If physical infrastructure carries goods, human infrastructure carries opportunities. By human infrastructure, I mean a new generation of entrepreneurs, managers, investors, and leaders who are skilled in working in an international environment, understand the cultural nuances of different countries, and can negotiate and think regionally, not just within their own markets. I believe that over the next decade, human capital will become the primary competitive advantage for the countries of the Middle Corridor.
– Following the changes in global logistics, the Middle Corridor has become the focus of international business. What opportunities does this open for the countries in the region?
– We are witnessing a very rare historical moment. In recent years, working with entrepreneurs, investors, and chambers of commerce in Europe, Central Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, I have observed a growing trend: businesses are starting to view the Middle Corridor not as a regional project, but as a new Eurasian economic platform.
Global logistics is being restructured, supply chains are diversifying, and businesses are seeking new, more resilient routes for trade between Asia and Europe. For the countries of the Middle Corridor, this opens the opportunity to transition from transit territories to full-fledged participants in the global economy.
It is not just about transit revenues; it is about creating industrial parks, logistics hubs, financial services, production clusters, digital platforms, and new export opportunities. Most importantly, the Middle Corridor creates conditions for closer integration between Central Asia and the South Caucasus. For many years, our countries have been neighbors. Today, we have the opportunity to become full-fledged economic partners. For entrepreneurs, this means access to new markets, new investments, and new international connections; for the younger generation of the region, it means the ability to think beyond the borders of individual states and within the broader context of Eurasia.
– Azerbaijan is a key link in the Middle Corridor. How do you assess its role in shaping the new Eurasian transport and logistics space?
– It is difficult to overstate Azerbaijan’s role in the development of the Middle Corridor. In my opinion, one of the most important factors in Azerbaijan’s success was the country’s leadership recognizing the potential of the Middle Corridor long before it became a global trend. Consistent investments in transport and logistics infrastructure allow Azerbaijan to play the role of a primary architect of the new Eurasian economic space today.
When looking at the map of Eurasia, Azerbaijan’s unique position between Central Asia, the Caspian region, the Caucasus, Turkey, and Europe becomes evident. But Azerbaijan’s significance is not limited to geography. Over the years, the country has consistently invested in the development of transport, port, and rail infrastructure, laying the foundation for future growth along the entire route.
Today, Baku is no longer just a transit point on the map; it is one of the strategic hubs of the new Eurasian economic space. It is especially important that Azerbaijan demonstrates a long-term vision for the region’s development and understands that the competitiveness of the Middle Corridor depends on the cooperation of all participants. From the perspective of Central Asia, Azerbaijan is becoming a natural bridge to European markets. From the European perspective, it is a crucial partner ensuring the sustainability and diversification of trade routes between East and West. Therefore, the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan carries an entirely new significance for the entire architecture of the Middle Corridor.
– What is the importance of Azerbaijan’s transport hubs, including the Baku International Sea Port and rail infrastructure, for the development of the route?
– Any international corridor is only as strong as its key hubs. In this regard, Azerbaijan plays a central role. Essentially, the Baku International Sea Port is the main gateway of the Middle Corridor on the Caspian Sea. It ensures connectivity between Central Asia and other routes passing through the Caucasus and Turkey to Europe. Azerbaijan’s rail infrastructure, including the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars route, which significantly strengthens the region’s transport connectivity, is equally important.
However, I always emphasize one point: infrastructure alone does not create competitiveness; it emerges when combined with efficient management, digitalization, modern customs procedures, and high-level international coordination. Therefore, the next stage of the Middle Corridor’s development must encompass not only new investments in physical facilities but also investments in the efficiency of their interconnection.
– How do you think the Middle Corridor will look in ten years? Can this route become a full-fledged axis of Eurasian trade, rather than just an alternative to existing transport corridors?
– I am confident that within ten years, the Middle Corridor can become one of the main economic arteries of Eurasia. But for this to happen, it is crucial to stop viewing it merely as an alternative to other routes.
For its part, Uzbekistan is also undergoing a stage of unprecedented economic transformation. Thanks to the large-scale reforms implemented in recent years under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the country has become much more open to international business, investment, and regional cooperation. This is precisely why Central Asia now has a unique opportunity to become not just a periphery of the global economy, but one of its new growth centers.
The Middle Corridor must become an independent model of economic development based on cooperation, integration, and mutual benefit. To achieve this, it is necessary to continue developing infrastructure, harmonizing trade rules, implementing digital solutions, strengthening investment cooperation, and, most importantly, investing in people.
The Middle Corridor has all the prerequisites to become an ecosystem that connects Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Turkey, Europe, and Asia not only through cargo flows but also through a path of shared opportunities for millions of people. Ultimately, the modern Silk Road means a road not just between countries, but between people. In my opinion, this is the true meaning of the modern Silk Road.
