SCO Expands Focus to Economic Connectivity and Middle Corridor

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is expanding its strategic focus to include economic cooperation and connectivity alongside its traditional emphasis on regional security. During meetings in Bishkek, the organization discussed the growth of the Middle Corridor, also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, which links China and Central Asia to the South Caucasus, Türkiye, and Europe via the Caspian Sea.

Azerbaijan has emerged as a strategic logistics platform within this network. The government of Azerbaijan reported a 90 percent increase in cargo traffic through the Middle Corridor since 2022. To accommodate this surge, the country is expanding the annual capacity of the Port of Alat from 15 million to 25 million tons.

Officials noted that the long-term success of the corridor relies on the coordination of physical infrastructure, specifically the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, and the digitalization of customs and logistics processes across member and partner states.