Russian leader appoints special rep for development of North-South Corridor

Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev special representative for the development of the International North-South Transport Corridor.

The relevant decree #1005, dated November 25, has been published on the official website for legal acts, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

The decree states, "Vitaly Savelyev is being appointed special representative of the Russian president for the development of the International North-South Transport Corridor." 

Savelyev has served as deputy prime minister since May 2024, overseeing transport and logistics. Prior to this, he was the minister of transport from 2020.

The intergovernmental agreement on the establishment of the International North-South Transport Corridor was signed by Russia, India, and Iran in 2000. Later, the number of participants expanded to 14. The aim of the project is to facilitate the flow of goods from India, Iran, and the countries of the Persian Gulf to Europe through Russian territory. 

The International North-South Transport Corridor connects northern Europe with the countries of the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean via Russia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. The corridor consists of three main routes: the western route along the western coast of the Caspian Sea, the eastern route along the eastern coast, and the trans-Caspian route across the Caspian Sea. Compared to the maritime route through the Suez Canal, the distance is reduced by more than half, which decreases both transit time and transportation costs. Currently, the project integrates several different transport systems from individual countries.

By Naila Huseynova