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U.S. Ambassador: America Supports Tajikistan’s Role in the Trans-Caspian Trade Route

The United States supports Tajikistan’s participation in the Trans-Caspian Trade Route project, connecting China with Europe through the Caspian Sea, Asia, and the Caucasus. U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan Manuel Micaller spoke about this in an interview with Khovar.tj. “We continue to advocate for Tajikistan’s participation in the Trans-Caspian Trade Route, which will connect Central Asia with the Caucasus and European markets. Through the C5+1 diplomatic platform, which brings together the United States and our five Central Asian partners, we hope to facilitate closer cooperation with these partners and access to global markets,” Micaller noted. The Trans-Caspian Transport Route starts from Southeast Asia and China and runs through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and further to European countries. It aims to facilitate trade and economic cooperation by connecting major economic regions through railways, highways, and maritime routes. Transit time along the Trans-Caspian Route has been reduced from 38-53 days to 18-23 days. In 2024, this period is planned to be reduced to 14-18 days, and the journey through the territory of Kazakhstan from 6 to 5 days.

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Russia’s FM: U.S. Interest in Central Asia’s Economy Could Harm Russia’s Development

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, during a question-and-answer session with students at Moscow’s MGIMO University in early September, noted that “a growing number of extra-regional actors,” including the United States, have taken an interest in fostering trade via the so-called Middle Corridor -- a route connecting Asia to Europe via Central Asia, bypassing Russia. Lavrov’s speech suggests that the U.S. interest in the economic future of Central Asia will negatively impact Russia's development. Lavrov noted that Russia maintains “warm and allied” relations with Central Asian nations, which are bound to Russia economically and strategically via several agreements, including the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Eurasian Economic Union, and the Commonwealth of Independent States. He added that Russia “cannot prevent anyone from establishing deeper ties with other partners.” Lavrov couldn’t resist lashing out at the United States, saying the motives of American officials in Central Asia aren’t magnanimous. “When our partners and allies in Central Asia expand their relations with the West, I do not have the slightest doubt that they understand perfectly well that apart from pursuing its noble and transparent objectives, the West also seeks to undermine the Russian Federation’s influence there,” he said. The U.S. engages with Central Asia through the B5+1 process, which promotes Western investment by encouraging reforms to reduce trade barriers and streamline customs. Recently, Central Asian countries have signed agreements to improve trade regulation, and the U.S. has helped some countries upgrade their infrastructure. U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan Daniel Rosenblum has said in a statement: “In August ... the United States provided Kazakhstan’s Customs Service with advanced Dell Technologies Inc. servers to help make border procedures more efficient. “Adopting innovative technologies will streamline processes, enhance accuracy, improve transparency, and foster a business-friendly environment, attracting more investors and boosting economic growth,” Russia's war in Ukraine has weakened the Kremlin’s ability to pressure Central Asian states to follow its wishes. Russia depends on covert trade through Central Asia to bypass sanctions and get goods for its war. Meanwhile, China is supplying dual-use technologies to Russia and has overtaken Russia as the leading trade partner for Central Asian countries. In his remarks, Lavrov called China “a reliable partner” but didn’t mention it in the context of Central Asia’s growing trade dynamics.

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Sri Lanka Explores Deepening Ties with Central Asia

The Diplomat writes that on August 21, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sri Lanka and The Geopolitical Cartographer, a Colombo-based think tank, organized a forum on Central Asia. Colombo has been eyeing Central Asia for quite some time and between 2011 and 2021, sent delegations to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Apart from helping strengthen diplomatic ties, little else followed. The recent consultations mark a new phase in Sri Lanka’s relations with the region. Amid the war in Ukraine and rising tensions in the Middle East and Eurasia, both Sri Lanka and Central Asia are adjusting their foreign policies, and all five Central Asian states are balancing their positions, avoiding outright support for Russia while trying not to upset Moscow. “Given the many parallels in the foreign policies of Central Asia and South Asia, particularly India, does Sri Lanka’s Central Asia gambit make sense? Sri Lanka and Central Asia - seem to be placed in a positive conjuncture, a crossroads in their histories, that has made a strategic alliance both feasible and plausible,” reported Uditha Devapriya, author of the article. At the August meeting, Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry official Sashikala Premawardhane drew attention to critical issues in relations with Central Asia, particularly trade. Sri Lanka’s trade with the region is modest. Between 2011 and 2020, exports to Central Asia only twice exceeded $20 million and surpassed $10 million with a single country just once, in 2014 with Uzbekistan . In contrast, Sri Lanka imported $21 million of goods from Uzbekistan in 2015 alone. P. K. Balachandran, an Indian foreign policy analyst based in Colombo, contends that Sri Lanka needs to stabilize its relations with neighboring South Asian countries, particularly India, before it can consider Central Asia. Rathindra Kuruwita, a Sri Lankan foreign policy commentator and a regular contributor to The Diplomat, voiced his agreement, stating, “India is engaging more constructively with the [Central Asia] region. Whether Sri Lanka can match Delhi’s clout and influence is a big question and at best, highly debatable.” So, how can this island strengthen its relations with the region? Bilateral trade and diplomatic ties are important, but should be complemented by other strategies. One potential avenue could be sport. Central Asia and Sri Lanka share a platform for volleyball, Sri Lanka’s national sport and February 2022, Sri Lanka hosted the Central Asian Volleyball Association. While cultural exchanges can’t replace economic ties, sports like volleyball and Elle (similar to baseball) attract young, open-minded people and according to Pasindu Nimsara Thennakoon, a school volleyball player from Ratnapura, offer a cost-effective way to connect with other regions. Another obvious, if challenging, route to strengthening ties is through Central Asia’s outreach to South Asia: India. Multilateral platforms like the SCO also offer opportunities, albeit dominated by China, Russia, and India, but Sri Lanka’s relationship with India, which has had its share of controversies, entered a new phase after the 2022 crisis. Central Asia is considering energy connections with India. Still, given the backlash, such as the lawsuit against Adani Group’s...