And this is exactly what this podcast is about.
[01:29] What is Connectivity
When I say “connectivity,” I don’t mean only roads, trains, or the internet.
It’s the coordinated work of infrastructure, logistics, digital technologies, regulations, and human interaction. It is a whole ecosystem where everything reinforces each other.
Imagine: energy connected with the agricultural sector.
Here is one example: a Dutch greenhouse that not only grows vegetables but also serves as a generator of energy and heat for an entire residential community.
In 2018, I organized a study tour for UNDP Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan to the Netherlands. We took our group senior officials and energy specialists to one of the modern Dutch greenhouses.
At first glance, what do a greenhouse, a hectare of cucumbers or tomatoes, and renewable energy have in common? But in the Netherlands, everything works differently.
Inside the perfect climate for plants, automatic irrigation systems, sensors for humidity and light. But the most surprising part came when our group realized that this greenhouse not only consumes energy… it actually produces it!
The surplus heat and electricity generated there do not go to waste; they are supplied to the neighbors. More than forty homes in the nearby residential area receive heating and electricity from this greenhouse.
I remember watching our participants exchange looks, jot down calculations, whisper: “Why don’t we do this?”
That was the moment when the usual perception “a greenhouse = consumer” flipped upside down. Even the agricultural sector can become an energy producer if the processes are properly organized.
source: 4th Edition Innovation Media
Back to connectivity, here are more examples:
— logistics using digital platforms,
— customs services of different countries operating under unified standards.
This is not just a collection of projects. It is a living organism.
I like the term “interconnected systems.” It conveys the idea of living interaction, not only technical linkage.
And another concept I use is the Value of Connectivity (VOC).
Today we will leave it as an idea. Details will come in the future episodes.
[04:12] Why It Matters Now
Why are we talking about this now?
Because the world is changing. For many years, the Middle Corridor or the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route was considered a backup option. The main flows went through the northern land route or by sea via Suez.
But recent years have shown: relying on only one or two directions is a risk. Any delay, crisis, or force majeure and the chain breaks.
The Middle Corridor removes this dependency. It connects Europe with the South Caucasus and Central Asia through a combination of land and sea. But most importantly it creates new regional value chains, new markets for both micro and macro economies.
The Middle Corridor is not new. Back in the times of the Great Silk Road, caravans from China to Europe passed through these very lands.
Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tadjikistan, Armenia. For centuries, trade routes, cultures, and technologies intertwined here.
When I wrote my book The New Silk Road Book, I looked at this region as a living organism that is awakening again. The book brings together historical facts, modern projects, and a vision of how the Middle Corridor can become a guide to sustainable development.
[05:49] Personal Examples
In my professional life, I have seen how the idea of connectivity transforms into real results.
Here is a recent example. I worked as an advisor for a large European logistics company and helped design and launch a multimodal route Rotterdam → Astana.
On paper, everything looked perfect: Georgian ports, Azerbaijani railways, the ferry across the Caspian, Kazakhstan. But in practice, the key was not the number of trains or ships, but synchronization: customs, documentation, standards, and communication between countries and companies.
Port of Kuryk, Kazakhstan (Photo by the author, 2024)
And then, in the middle of this work, we faced a situation that in Europe would be almost unthinkable: we needed to send a telegram to the Georgian Railways. Yes, a real telegram!
For us Europeans, it felt like traveling back in time. But in the railway systems of the South Caucasus and Central Asia, this mechanism is still in use and in critical situations, it is indispensable.
This is where the value of connectivity truly showed itself. We were working in partnership with KTZ Express, and it was their expertise, their knowledge of local procedures, and their access to this system that allowed us to resolve the issue quickly. Without that partnership, the route would have been blocked.
In the end, it was the interaction between Europe’s modern digital solutions and the region’s time-tested instruments that made this project sustainable and replicable.
That is what real connectivity means: when different experiences and different systems merge into one working chain.
[07:51] Another Example — Kazakhstan Study Tour
Another example — the study tour of the Kazakhstan Ministry of Energy to the Netherlands in 2018.
I mentioned it earlier, but I want to tell you a bit more.
It wasn’t just an excursion. It was a carefully built chain: training → pilots → scaling.
We visited several cities, but one moment stands out vividly in my memory. (pause)
We went to the Maasvlakte area of Rotterdam, to a power station, and also to Futurland — the information center of the Port of Rotterdam. There they show what the port of the future will look like, what technologies and horizons of innovation are coming.
Maasvlakte, Rotterdam (Photo by the author, 2022)
There, participants were invited to put on VR glasses and literally step into the future.
Everyone was watching, smiling, discussing… The session ended, I began gathering the group to the bus. But one person was missing.
I went back to the hall — and he was still sitting there with the VR headset on.
I approached, called him. He took off the glasses, looked at me and quietly said:
“I don’t want to leave. I want to see more…”
For me, as the organizer, those words were very touching.
Because at that moment, I realized: everything we were showing was truly inspiring.
And today, renewable energy projects in Kazakhstan have not only achieved their goals, they have surpassed them. The contribution of such knowledge exchanges, such moments of inspiration, is absolutely real.
[13:19] EU Investment Plans for 2025
The Middle Corridor today is not just a line on a map.
It is a complex, multilayered system that connects people, resources, technologies, rules, and interests.
If we speak metaphorically it is an artery, carrying new blood into the economy of the whole region.
The Middle Corridor brings together several powerful directions at once:
· Logistics. Ports of Poti and Batumi, Baku, and the Caspian. Modernized railways in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan. And of course, the new Zangezur Corridor a project discussed not only in political terms, but also as a serious economic breakthrough. If it comes into full operation, delivery times will be reduced, and logistics combinations will become much more flexible.
· Energy. The Caspian winds, the Black Sea winds, the sun of the steppes. Pilot hydrogen projects are already being tested, while geothermal energy is still waiting for its moment, but its potential is enormous.
· Agriculture. This is a special pride of the region. Fruits, nuts, wines, vegetables that can compete in global markets.
At the Tashkent market, Uzbekistan (Photo by the author, 2023)
Take, for example, the Uzbek melon. Its honey sweetness, juicy flesh, and unique aroma cannot be confused with anything else. But there is a catch it cannot be transported by conventional means. With every extra day on the road, it loses its taste. To deliver it fresh, as if from a market in Samarkand, special logistics and fast supply chains are needed.
Or the Azerbaijani tomato. If you taste it fresh, warmed by the sun, with that rich aroma you will never forget it. That flavor cannot be replicated in a supermarket far from its homeland.
Add to this modern irrigation and processing technologies, and the region’s agricultural sector becomes capable of exporting not just raw produce, but also value-added products, while preserving their uniqueness and freshness.
· Digitalization. Electronic documents, cargo tracking systems, integration of customs services. Even the rise of IT start-ups and emerging “Silicon Valleys” in Central Asia.
· People. A young generation fluent in several languages, comfortable in multicultural environments, and quick to learn new things. And the diaspora, spread around the world, remaining a bridge between this region and Europe, Asia, and America.
In 2025, the European Union plans to invest about €12 billion into the development of infrastructure and digitalization of the Middle Corridor, as part of the Global Gateway program.
And this is not an abstract figure. These are specific projects: modernization of ports, improvement of railway hubs, creation of multimodal logistics centers, development of digital freight platforms, and the unification of procedures between countries.
What does this mean for businesses inside the region?
1. Faster delivery. Goods spend less time in transit, which means less money “frozen” in containers and wagons. Capital works faster.
2. Lower costs. Streamlined logistics means lower transport expenses making companies more competitive abroad, either through better prices or reinvestment into growth.
3. Predictability. When you know exactly when and how your cargo will arrive, you can plan exports, production, and procurement with far greater accuracy. Less dependency on surprises means fewer risks.
4. New markets. When infrastructure and routes function properly, logistics stops being a barrier. Instead, it becomes an incentive — a way to expand supply geography and enter markets that were previously too difficult or expensive to reach.
[16:26] Why Europe Is Looking Closely at the Middle Corridor
Why is Europe paying such close attention to the Middle Corridor?
First, geopolitics.
The world is becoming less predictable. The EU needs an alternative, reliable, and secure route connecting Europe with Asia.
Second, economics.
The Middle Corridor represents a new market that can be integrated into Europe’s production and logistics chains.
Third, the green agenda.
The Corridor can be developed almost from scratch according to low-carbon standards. This fits perfectly into the EU’s climate strategy.
So for Europe, the Middle Corridor is not just about transport. It is about resilience, diversification, and the opportunity to create a new sustainable link between East and West.
[17:04] Why Investors Are Ready to Invest
And why are investors ready to put their money here?
Because this is one of the few regions where several strong factors come together at once:
· Rich natural resources.
· A young and flexible workforce.
· Readiness for partnerships.
· A strategic location at the crossroads of key routes.
For business, this is a window of opportunity that will not remain open for long. Those who enter the region now can set standards, build partnerships, and secure strong positions in a rapidly growing market.
The Middle Corridor is not just a line on the map. It is a chance for Europe and the region to create an interconnected, sustainable, and competitive system where everyone benefits.
And that is why the conversation about the Value of Connectivity (VOC) will run like a red thread throughout all of our episodes.
[18:05] Call to Action for the Listener
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Many projects of the Middle Corridor have not even been announced publicly yet, but they are already in preparation.
If you are curious to know what exactly will be built and launched in the coming years which hubs, green energy facilities, and digital solutions are on the way, I am ready to share this knowledge.
As an expert, I see these processes from the inside and I understand how they will influence business and investment.
[18:42] Closing and Next Episode
The Middle Corridor is not only geography.
It is a strategy for the future.
And in the next episode, we will look at it from a different angle through the Dutch perspective on sustainable logistics.
We will talk with a guest from the Netherlands about how European experience in planning, management, and digitalization of logistics can contribute to the development of the Middle Corridor. There will be many ideas, concrete examples, and perhaps even unexpected solutions that can already be applied today.
I am sure this episode will be interesting for everyone working in international trade, logistics, infrastructure projects, as well as for investors, policymakers, and experts who want to better understand the region’s potential.
You can listen to me here, on this platform or find my podcast on other services as well. All links are in the description.
There you will also find a link to my book The New Silk Road Book a guide to the sustainable development of the Middle Corridor as well as to Innovation Media journals on innovation and regional growth:
And of course,
my email: ivb@stroomi.nl
my LinkedIn
where we share new projects, news, and ideas.
Follow the links, write to me, share your thoughts and questions.
Thank you for being with me. See you next time!
And remember: the future is built through connectivity.
