View: Kyrgyzstan joins TRACECA to expand Europe and Black Sea trade routes

Kyrgyzstan has joined the TRACECA multilateral permit system, a move analysts say will deepen regional integration, cut transport costs and ease cross-border trade, opening new routes to Europe and the Black Sea.

By joining the multilateral permit system of the Transport Corridor Europe–Caucasus–Asia (TRACECA), Kyrgyzstan allows its carriers to operate across several participating countries using a single permit.

Speaking to AnewZ, Nurbolat Nyshanbayev, an academic at Turan University, described the move as a strategic breakthrough for a landlocked country.

“This initiative creates a bridge and removes barriers, reducing both the cost and time of delivering goods,” Nyshanbayev said, adding that the benefits extend beyond Kyrgyzstan.

He said the system would significantly change day-to-day operations for Kyrgyz transport companies, which have long faced delays at border crossings.

“Truck drivers waited for months because of additional checks and paperwork. This permit removes bureaucratic processes and reduces costs,” he added.

Nyshanbayev also pointed to a broader shift in regional trade patterns. Since 2022, Central Asian countries have been reassessing traditional transport routes that largely ran north through Russia.

“We are seeing a transformative period in which countries, including Kyrgyzstan, are diversifying trade routes for the long term,” he said.

According to Nyshanbayev, time-sensitive sectors such as medical and pharmaceutical goods are expected to benefit most from easier access to TRACECA routes. He added that the corridor could also strengthen links between Central Asia, the Black Sea region and the European Union.

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