The TRIPP corridor through southern Armenia could prove to be a faster alternative to the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway (BTK). That follows from an EU report on connectivity to Türkiye, the Caucasus and Central Asia. TRIPP would be a welcome development that could contribute to the EU’s economic security.
The European Union report specifies that the TRIPP route, which would connect Azerbaijan and Türkiye via Armenia southern Syunik region, could be 25% faster than the BTK route. The latter is currently the only operational railway through the Caucasus on the Asia-Europe route.
As such, TRIPP could not only provide some welcome redundancy and diversification, but also speed up transportation on the Middle Corridor. That might make the China-Europe route more attractive compared to the Northern Route through Russia or maritime routes.
Raw materials
At the same time, the EU highlights the importance of such infrastructure for its own economic security. For example, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan are among the EU’s main global suppliers of borates, phosphorus, and antimony. These resources are used in industrial applications.
“Enhanced connectivity could strengthen EU–Central Asia resource linkages, helping reduce dependency on single suppliers, integrate regional producers into EU value chains, and foster balanced, sustainable growth across the region”, the EU writes.
The Union adds that additional investment in feeder lines to access resources could “substantially enhance” the EU’s access to critical raw materials.