European Commissioner: Armenia plays significant  role in EU`s  connectivity agenda 

ArmInfo.  On November 27, on the sidelines of the Tashkent Investor Forum on the  Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor and Connectivity Development, RA  Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure David  Khudatyan met with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Martha Kos.

According to the MTAI press service, the meeting discussed issues  related to more active EU involvement in Armenia's infrastructure  projects. Martha Kos welcomed Armenia's efforts to establish peace  and stability in the region and emphasized the country's significance  in the EU's connectivity agenda.

It's worth noting that in an interview with Report's European Bureau,  Marta Kos stated that the European Union is firmly committed to  developing the Trans-Caspian Transport Route, also known as the  Middle Corridor, into a reliable long-term alternative to the  Northern Route. "The Middle Corridor offers geopolitical and economic  benefits to all countries along this route. It integrates a network  of railways and ports connecting China, Central Asia, the South  Caucasus, and the Black Sea with Europe," the European Commissioner  said.

According to her, freight traffic along the Middle Corridor has  already quadrupled between 2022 and today.  "By 2030, it could triple  if investments are directed toward expanding capacity and eliminating  existing bottlenecks. These issues will be key topics of discussion  at the forum in Tashkent," Kos noted.

The EU's own experience has demonstrated the dangers of  over-dependence on a single country or source, the Commissioner  emphasized. This could lead to energy pressure, shortages of  essential raw materials, or excessive reliance on digital  technologies, limiting freedom of action. "Investments in the  development of transport, digital, and energy infrastructure create  more opportunities and reduce the risks of external pressure," she  concluded.  Recall, the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor is a  flagship project of the EU's Global Gateway strategy and aims to  ensure connectivity between Europe and Central Asia via transit  through the South Caucasus.