The World Bank’s new report on the Middle Corridor sets out the scale of investment needed to transform the route into a true economic corridor. But its message is equally clear: infrastructure must be matched by trade facilitation, digitalisation and road transport reform.
According to a new World Bank report, targeted investment and reforms could quadruple trade volumes along the Middle Corridor, cut travel times by two-thirds, boost regional GDP by 3.3% and create 2 million jobs by 2040.
Realising that potential will require at least USD 25 billion in physical infrastructure investment, alongside around USD 30 billion in “enabling investments”, including connecting roads and rail links, logistics hubs, inland terminals, equipment and digital systems.
But the World Bank has also identified operational and non-infrastructure improvements as one of the corridor’s biggest remaining challenges.
From infrastructure to facilitation
The World Bank highlights the need to reduce border delays, simplify documentation, strengthen cross-border cooperation and move towards a single digital corridor system for transport, transit and trade data.
These priorities closely reflect IRU’s work across the Middle Corridor.
UN trade and transport facilitation instruments are key to making cross-border transport faster and more predictable.
Time lost at borders remains one of the biggest barriers to the corridor’s competitiveness, and that facilitation and cooperation must advance alongside infrastructure investment.
Reforming road transport
The new World Bank report also reinforces the importance of professional, efficient road transport services connecting the corridor to local economies and providing the first and last mile.
The updated IRU–World Bank road transport reform guidelines provide governments with a practical framework to modernise road transport, covering areas including market access, professional training and certification, international standards, enforcement and regulatory reform.
IRU is also putting these principles into practice through the EU-funded Modernising Road Transport programme, which works across Central Asia and other regions to strengthen professionalisation, regulatory harmonisation, digital transport documents, border processes and TIR compliance.
The World Bank’s conclusion is therefore an important one: the Middle Corridor’s success will depend on both financial investment and how effectively countries, authorities and the industry work together.
Pathways to reforms will be at the centre of the upcoming IRU-UN-OHRLLS event Astana, Kazakhstan, on October 14, titled, “Advancing the Awaza Programme of Action: Building a Professional and Resilient Road Transport Industry for Greater Connectivity and Competitiveness".