On the sidelines of the 62nd Munich Security Conference (MSC 2026), an official side event dedicated to connectivity, security, and the economic potential of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (the Middle Corridor) was held for the first time.
The discussion, titled “The Golden Mean? Connectivity, Security and the Caspian Middle Corridor,” was organized by the Caspian Policy Center (CPC) in partnership with the Kazakhstani intellectual platform CFive. The event was included among the highlighted sessions of MSC 2026, reflecting the growing international interest in practical aspects of Eurasian connectivity and the resilience of global supply chains.
The event gained particular significance with the participation of Helga Maria Schmid, former Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and Vice President of the Munich Security Conference Foundation Council. In her opening remarks, she emphasized the increasing role of the Middle Corridor in Europe’s security agenda, economic resilience, and the diversification of international trade routes.
The event was held in the format of an in-person working breakfast and brought together representatives of government institutions, the diplomatic corps, think tanks, and the international business community.
Participants in the discussion included Assel Zhanassova, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Sodiq Safoev, First Deputy Chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration; as well as Iskander Akylbayev, Chairman of the CFive intellectual platform, and Efgān Nifti, Chief Executive Officer of the Caspian Policy Center.
The discussion focused on a shared vision of the Middle Corridor as an emerging multilateral economic platform capable of ensuring sustainable trade, transit, and investment links between Europe, the Caspian region, Central Asia, and the markets of East Asia. Participants discussed the transformation of global supply chains, new opportunities in trade, logistics, and transit, as well as the role of digitalization and infrastructure modernization in enhancing the reliability and efficiency of the route.
The discussion, titled “The Golden Mean? Connectivity, Security and the Caspian Middle Corridor,” was organized by the Caspian Policy Center (CPC) in partnership with the Kazakhstani intellectual platform CFive. The event was included among the highlighted sessions of MSC 2026, reflecting the growing international interest in practical aspects of Eurasian connectivity and the resilience of global supply chains.
The event gained particular significance with the participation of Helga Maria Schmid, former Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and Vice President of the Munich Security Conference Foundation Council. In her opening remarks, she emphasized the increasing role of the Middle Corridor in Europe’s security agenda, economic resilience, and the diversification of international trade routes.
The event was held in the format of an in-person working breakfast and brought together representatives of government institutions, the diplomatic corps, think tanks, and the international business community.
Participants in the discussion included Assel Zhanassova, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Sodiq Safoev, First Deputy Chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration; as well as Iskander Akylbayev, Chairman of the CFive intellectual platform, and Efgān Nifti, Chief Executive Officer of the Caspian Policy Center.
The discussion focused on a shared vision of the Middle Corridor as an emerging multilateral economic platform capable of ensuring sustainable trade, transit, and investment links between Europe, the Caspian region, Central Asia, and the markets of East Asia. Participants discussed the transformation of global supply chains, new opportunities in trade, logistics, and transit, as well as the role of digitalization and infrastructure modernization in enhancing the reliability and efficiency of the route.
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