Minister calls for easier trade transit between Turkic states

ISTANBUL

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu has urged member countries of the Organization of Turkic States to eliminate bilateral and transit road pass document quotas, emphasizing the importance of reducing transportation costs and boosting trade within the organization.

"The Organization of Turkic States is a community that has the potential to become a global power with its young and dynamic population of 160 million and an economic size exceeding $1 trillion," Uraloğlu said in his address at a forum of the organization held in Istanbul on Sept. 13. He stressed the need for cooperation among member states to "harness this potential and strengthen their global influence."

Recognizing the challenges posed by existing road crossing procedures between member states, Uraloğlu called for the removal of transit land pass document quotas. He argued that such measures would not only facilitate smoother transportation but also enhance trade relations among the friendly and brotherly countries within the organization.

"In order to remove obstacles to transportation and trade and reduce transportation costs, we must adopt and implement a holistic approach within the organization that will be for our common benefit," Uraloğlu stated. "In this regard, we need to abolish bilateral and transit road pass document quotas between our friendly and brotherly countries."

Uraloğlu noted that Türkiye had already reached an agreement with Kyrgyzstan on the liberalization of bilateral and transit transportation and expressed hope that similar steps could be taken with other member states in the near future.

The minister emphasized the need for member countries to promote trade-friendly policies and reconsider protectionist and closed approaches, aiming to facilitate and encourage international trade within the organization.

Furthermore, he highlighted Türkiye's commitment to digitalization in transportation and its pioneering role in initiatives like e-truck and e-transportation documents. The minister expressed the country's readiness to share its experiences in this field with member countries interested in such cooperation.

"We foresee that the ratio of railways in transportation, which is 4 percent in our country today, will increase to over 11 percent in 2029 and will be approximately 22 percent in 2053," he remarked. "Thus, the share of railways in freight transportation in our country will increase sevenfold by 2053."