Background Information

CLDP’s Trans-Caspian Trade Route (TCTR) project is funded by the U.S. Department of State and supports the C5+1 goals to expand and develop alternative trade routes for Central Asian countries to mitigate trade disruptions and diversify export destinations. The project involves government and private sector representatives from the Central Asian countries, as well as Georgia and Azerbaijan (when feasible), and promotes a public-private dialogue for cohesive regional solutions for the resolution of existing soft measure challenges that impact TCTR.

CLDP held three regional meetings on TCTR: on March 5-7, 2023, in Batumi (Georgia), on July 27-28, 2023, in Tbilisi (Georgia), and on January 25-26, 2024, in Tashkent (Uzbekistan). Based on the results of discussions at each TCTR meeting, the participants developed and adopted recommendations that were presented to the interested parties of the TCTR countries. Among the recommended actions, the participants proposed the development of a regional joint action plan for the expansion of TCTR, which would combine the recommendations on soft measures of all participating TCTR countries voiced during the two meetings. Additionally, to reduce fragmentation of efforts and accelerate the implementation of soft measures, the participants proposed the establishment of the TCTR Coordination Platform consisting of (1) TCTR Expert Group, and (2) TCTR Advisory Board.

On January 25-26, 2024, CLDP, in partnership with USAID, prepared and presented a draft TCTR Joint Action Plan for consideration and endorsement. After deliberations, on January 26^th, 2024, the participants endorsed the Joint Action Plan. Additionally, during the meeting, several international development organizations expressed an interest to collaborate and assist in the implementation of certain measures outlined within the TCTR Joint Action Plan. Furthermore, the participants endorsed the creation of a TCTR Coordination Platform, an idea initially proposed during the First and Second TCTR meetings organized by CLDP.

This event is intended to formally launch the platform’s Expert Group activities, with a primary focus of advancing the objectives of the Joint Action Plan, particularly in addressing key maritime transport issues.

The work of CLDP’s TCTR Coordination Platform will align with the coordination efforts undertaken by the EU to ensure complementarity in the implementation of priority measures impacting TCTR.

Meetings To Date: