The Roundtable Meeting titled “From the Silk Road to the Middle Corridor: Promoting Connectivity Through Transport and Trade Facilitation” was held on 13 January 2026 at the OSCE Hofburg Building (Bibliotheksaal) in Vienna, within the framework of Turkish Week in Vienna organized by the Organization of Turkic States (OTS).
The Roundtable opened with keynote speeches by the Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu, and the Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States, Ambassador Kubanychbek Omuraliev. In their opening remarks, the speakers emphasized the growing importance of transport connectivity and trade facilitation in strengthening regional cooperation, economic resilience, and sustainable development across Eurasia.
The meeting was moderated by the OSCE Coordinator of Economic and Environmental Activities, Ambassador Bakyt Dzhusupov, who guided the discussions and underlined the significance of connectivity for regional integration and multilateral cooperation.
The Roundtable continued with a presentation by the Secretary General of the International Road Transport Union (IRU), Umberto de Pretto, who spoke on global trends in international road transport, the role of digitalization, and the importance of public–private partnerships in enhancing transport efficiency along international corridors.
The discussions were further enriched by contributions from the following high-level officials and experts:
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Mr. Fariz Aliyev, Head of Department, Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
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Dr. Alexander Andreas Schierhuber, Member of the Board and Independent Director of Kazakhstan Railways (KTZh) and Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan in Lower Austria;
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Mr. Nurmat Musabekov, Head of Transport Policy Department, Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Kyrgyz Republic;
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Ms. Ayşe Nur Yücel, Expert, Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Türkiye;
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Mr. Mirpulat Mirkhamidov, Head of the Department of International Relations, Logistics and Rating, Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
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Mr. Askar Kadirov, Secretary General of the Union of Turkic States Logistics Centers and Freight Forwarders;
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Mr. Frank Busse, Vice President Europe and Partner, Hamburg Port Consulting;
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Mr. Luis C. Blancas, Senior Transport and Logistics Specialist, World Bank.
In his remarks, the OTS Secretary General emphasized that the Middle Corridor stands out as a strategically important East–West transport route connecting Asia and Europe through the Turkic region. He noted that the Corridor represents a modern continuation of the historic Silk Road, contributing to trade development and economic growth in the region while supporting supply chain diversification, resilience, and sustainability.
The Secretary General also highlighted concrete steps taken by the OTS to enhance connectivity, including the digitalization of transport and customs procedures, facilitation of border crossings, development of multimodal logistics centers, and strengthening cooperation between public institutions and the private sector through OTS-affiliated mechanisms such as the Union of Turkic States Logistics Centers and Freight Forwarders.
The Roundtable Meeting provided a broad and inclusive platform for exchange of views by bringing together representatives of Austrian public authorities and the private sector, as well as Heads of Mission and diplomats from OTS Member and Observer States.
The event concluded with a reception held in the Bibliotheksaal Foyer, which offered participants opportunities for informal exchanges and networking, further contributing to the strengthening of dialogue among international organizations, national institutions, and private sector stakeholders.