BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 11. On June 8–9, 2025,
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev paid an official visit to
Kazakhstan — a key step in strengthening bilateral ties between two
countries separated by thousands of kilometers but united by a
shared strategic vision: building a reliable bridge between Europe
and Asia.

In a world where logistics have become a strategic asset and a
pillar of economic influence, every new transport route is more
than a line on the map — it is a matter of national security,
energy access, sustainable development, and geopolitical
positioning.

One of the central outcomes of President Radev’s talks with
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was the signing of a
Memorandum of Understanding on the development of the Trans-Caspian
International Transport Route (TITR), widely known as the Middle
Corridor. This agreement reflects a broader geoeconomic shift
toward establishing alternative trade and transit routes between
East and West in response to the evolving realities across the
Eurasian space.

Middle Corridor’s strategic relevance for
Europe

The TITR is a multimodal transport corridor linking China to
Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and
onward to Black Sea ports. The route has grown in importance
following disruptions to northern transit paths caused by
geopolitical tensions and sanctions.

President Tokayev highlighted that Kazakhstan accounts for 85%
of all overland trade between Europe and China. Expanding Middle
Corridor infrastructure, he noted, offers new opportunities for
more efficient East–West connectivity.

As of 2024, cargo volumes along the TITR had risen by 62% to
reach 4.5 million tons. Yet the corridor’s current capacity is only
about half utilized. Plans are in place to increase throughput to
10 million tons by 2028. In Kazakhstan, major infrastructure
projects are already underway — including the construction of a new
container hub at the Port of Aktau, which will boost handling
capacity from 140,000 to 240,000 TEUs.

Why Bulgaria? The geopolitical logic of
partnership

Bulgaria, situated on the Black Sea, is a natural partner for
Kazakhstan within the framework of the Middle Corridor. The Port of
Burgas — one of the largest logistics hubs on the Black Sea — could
become a key transit point for TITR cargo flows. President Radev
described Kazakhstan as a strategic partner for Bulgaria in Central
Asia, noting that both countries are advantageously located at the
crossroads of trade routes.

The MoU on the TITR is more than a symbolic gesture — it marks
Bulgaria’s entry into one of Eurasia’s most important emerging
transit corridors. This opens up new opportunities for Bulgarian
ports and logistics companies to integrate into growing freight
flows from Central Asia and China to Europe.

Economic momentum: trade and
investment

The diplomatic revitalization of relations is backed by growing
economic activity. In 2024, Kazakh exports to Bulgaria surged
11-fold to $303.6 million. Crude oil was the main driver, with
exports increasing 48-fold (by $242.2 million), alongside aluminum,
ferroalloys, and electronic components. Imports from Bulgaria also
rose by 5.5%, reaching $71.6 million, led by pharmaceuticals.

Investment flows are also gaining momentum. In 2024, Bulgarian
investment in Kazakhstan grew by 86.5%, totaling $7.8 million.
Cumulative gross investment since 2005 has reached $76.3 million,
reflecting steady interest from Bulgarian businesses in the Kazakh
market.

Currently, 107 companies with Bulgarian capital are registered
in Kazakhstan, with 61 actively operating — a sign that the
partnership has moved well beyond formal engagements and is
grounded in a growing economic foundation.

Kazakhstan’s strategy for diversifying export
routes

Following disruptions in the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC)
and the impact of sanctions, Kazakhstan has accelerated efforts to
diversify its oil export routes. A strategic breakthrough was the
agreement with Azerbaijan’s SOCAR to transport 1.5 million tons of
oil annually via the Aktau–Baku–BTC route, with plans to scale this
up to 5–7 million tons.

Beyond oil, the Middle Corridor is now being used for the export
of uranium, lithium, and rare earth elements to Europe. A recent
Declaration of Intent signed in Samarkand between the EU and
Central Asia includes provisions to develop logistics for
transporting clean hydrogen and battery technologies.

Azerbaijan’s pivotal role

Azerbaijan is a central player in the Middle Corridor —
transforming its geographic position from a transit route to a
strategic asset. The country is now a key link connecting the
eastern and western shores of the Caspian Sea with the Caucasus and
Black Sea ports.

Azerbaijan has invested heavily in modernizing its transport
infrastructure: ports have been upgraded, railways reconstructed,
and new logistics hubs established. The Port of Alat, one of the
largest on the Caspian Sea, can handle up to 15 million tons of
cargo annually, including containers. Baku also boasts the largest
commercial fleet on the Caspian, with more than 50 vessels —
tankers, ferries, and cargo ships.

Shipbuilding capabilities are also expanding. Once current
investment projects are completed, Azerbaijani shipyards will be
able to produce 10–15 tankers and cargo vessels annually, doubling
current output. This will be vital to ensuring stable maritime
transport amid growing volumes of oil, uranium, lithium, and
industrial goods transiting from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to
Europe.

Azerbaijan also spearheaded the creation of the joint venture
Middle Corridor Multimodal Ltd. with Kazakhstan and Georgia. Its
mission is to ensure seamless multimodal connectivity, improve
transport efficiency and reliability, and establish unified service
standards, tariffs, and documentation across the route.

Azerbaijan’s role is further amplified by Europe’s increasing
demand for uranium and critical rare earth elements. Today, a
significant share of Kazakhstan’s uranium — increasingly in demand
as Europe revisits nuclear energy — is transiting through
Azerbaijan.

A broader Eurasian transformation

President Radev’s visit to Astana and the signing of the TITR
MoU mark more than just a bilateral milestone. They reflect a
broader transformation in Eurasian transport and energy
geopolitics. As the regional landscape evolves, the Middle Corridor
is emerging as a viable alternative to traditional routes, with
Kazakhstan as its driving force and primary beneficiary.

By joining the initiative, Bulgaria gains access to the
expanding flow of goods from Central Asia and China, reinforcing
its role as a logistics hub on the Black Sea. The growth in trade,
investment, and the creation of joint transport platforms all point
to the emergence of a robust strategic and economic partnership
between Astana and Sofia.

In the coming years, projects like the Middle Corridor will help
shape a more diversified, resilient, and competitive Eurasian
economic space.