Middle Corridor critical for linking East and West markets – World Bank

The Middle Corridor will play a critical role in connecting Eastern and Western markets, Valérie Levkov, Vice President for Infrastructure at the World Bank Group, said.

Speaking at a seminar held as part of the 59th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Board of Governors, Levkov noted that the World Bank’s strategy is built on three pillars: policy and regulation, core infrastructure, and mechanisms to mobilize large-scale private investment, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

“If you want to attract the private sector, you need stability, predictability, and clear standards. We understand that unlocking the potential of core infrastructure requires significant investment in energy, transport, and water supply. For example, water scarcity in this region raises many challenges that we must address together. As for the third pillar—mobilizing private investment at scale—it is important to note that these challenges cannot be solved solely through state budgets or funding from the World Bank and ADB,” Levkov said.

She emphasised that Central Asia represents an ideal platform for implementing this strategy due to its vast resource base, extending beyond natural minerals.

“In Uzbekistan, there are copper, uranium, and rare earth metals. But we need to adopt a regional approach. Transport corridors, such as the Middle Corridor, will be critical for linking Eastern and Western markets. Processing and manufacturing capacities are also essential. Asian countries have a foundation for developing midstream and downstream production stages, but this requires market support mechanisms, trade potential, and coordinated action,” she added.

By Jeyhun Aghazada