The Connectivity Table began on May 29, 2024, at the Ministry of Transport, attended by Deputy Minister Edoardo Rixi, marking the start of the third Italy-Central Asia Ministerial Conference. The meeting included ministers and representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Armenia. Central to the discussion was the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), better known as the Middle Corridor. This route serves as a land or multimodal (road-rail) link connecting East Asia with Europe, bypassing Russia.
In a statement, the Ministry of Transport expressed that "Italy is ready to contribute to the development of the railway network and ports in Central Asia with the common goal of strengthening the competitiveness of our businesses, the security of global supply chains, and combating climate change." Also present at the Table were the President of FS, Dario Lo Bosco, and the CEO, Gianpiero Strisciuglio.
Italian Railway Network (Rete Ferroviaria Italiana) has already initiated projects in Central Asian countries, focusing on infrastructure collaboration, sharing best practices, promoting public-private cooperation, and optimizing infrastructure development strategies. Notably, a memorandum of understanding has been signed with Turkmenistan.
