Ayumi Konishi: Research on Middle Corridor should lead to real projects

There is a strong need to develop concrete projects for the advancement of the Middle Corridor, Ayumi Konishi, Senior Advisor to the CEO of the Multilateral Cooperation Center for Development Finance (MCDF), said during panel discussions at the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group's 51st Annual Meetings in Baku, Report informs.

Konishi stressed that MCDF has supported studies on connectivity and the Middle Corridor in cooperation with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Islamic Development Bank in recent years: "Our main expectation is that research should result in real projects. The ultimate goal is to achieve tangible outcomes and ensure initiatives are implemented in practice."

He emphasized that multiple regional cooperation initiatives are currently active in relation to the Middle Corridor, including the CAREC platform and other formats.

The official stressed that countries should not limit themselves to a single framework but use whichever mechanism proves most effective.

As examples, Konishi cited the CASA‑1000 project and the TAPI pipeline, which, though not directly part of CAREC, have significantly contributed to regional energy connectivity and integration. He expressed hope that similar successful and practical initiatives would emerge for the Middle Corridor's development.