Hybrid event: Sponsored by the Transport Thematic Group
The Middle Corridor—also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor (TCTC)—has emerged as a strategically significant bridge between Europe and Asia, linking East Europe with Central Asia and China through the South Caucasus and the Caspian Sea. As geopolitical shifts, supply-chain disruptions, and sustainability concerns reshape global trade, this corridor offers a viable alternative that enhances connectivity, reduces transit times, and diversifies transport routes across rail, road, and maritime networks. Beyond logistics, the Middle Corridor carries broader implications for regional cooperation, economic diversification, and investment in infrastructure, positioning participating countries as key nodes in a more resilient and multipolar Eurasian trade architecture. The TCTC integrates rail, road, and maritime infrastructure to move freight and containerized goods between Asia and Europe via Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus, Türkiye, and onward to the Black Sea. The World Bank has been supporting the investments along the corridor with a variety of lending and financing instruments and technical support.
To present the strategic vision of this cross-regional connectivity project and the related World Bank support, we are fortunate to have Mr. Grégoire Gauthier, a leading Senior Transport Specialist/Engineer currently working at IFC since July 2025. Before taking on this position, Grégoire was stationed in Kyiv, Ukraine., where he led the World Bank’s transport sector initiatives in Ukraine, encompassing emergency response, investments, and sector reforms. Earlier, Grégoire focused on the Western Balkans and European Union countries, as well as Latin America and Caribbean nations for over a decade. Before joining the World Bank in 2007, Grégoire worked in leading engineering firms such as Groupe Egis and Scetauroute, and was the Deputy Cooperation Advisor (for Transport/Infrastructure) at the French Embassy in Mexico. Gregoire holds a masters’ degree in transportation economics and civil engineering from École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l’État, France.
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