Central Asian Governments Presented Transport PPP Pipelines to Investors at Paris InfraWeek under TCTC Capacity Development Programme

As part of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor (TCTC) Capacity Development Programme, Expertise France hosted, in partnership with Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer (France), the Investor Day “Transport PPP Pipelines and Investment Opportunities across Central Asia” on 3 November 2026 in Paris. Held as a side event during Paris InfraWeek, the Investor Day brought senior government representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan together with French and European investors, infrastructure companies, financial institutions and development partners.

Through dedicated country showcases, the Central Asian delegations presented to companies and potential investors their priority transport public–private partnership (PPP) pipelines, ongoing sector reforms and concrete opportunities for private-sector participation along the corridor. Opening remarks were delivered by Fabienne Van Den Eede (International Cooperation Officer, European Commission), Cassilde Brenière (Deputy CEO, Expertise France), Alain Hitimana (FIN INFRA) and Olga Melo Zanelli (Partner, Energy and Infrastructure, Herbert Smith Freehills
Kramer).

Gulsara Arystankulova, Ambassador of Kazakhstan in France, and Perhat Yagshiyev, Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan, delivered opening remarks for theirdelegations. Country presentations were delivered by Baktyluu Mombekov, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications of the Kyrgyz Republic; Shoista Saidmurodzoda, Deputy Minister of Transport of Tajikistan; Abdukodir Yokubov, Director of the PPP Center under the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan; Aidos Kobetov, First Deputy Chairman of the Kazakhstan PPP Center; and Baymyrat Yazmuradov, Head of the Private Sector Development and PPP Department, Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan. The country sessions were followed by afternoon bilateral meetings between the delegations and investors, companies and financial institutions to examine specific country priorities and identify concrete opportunities for cooperation.

Closing the Investor Day, Nicolas de Lacoste, Ambassador, Special Envoy for Central Asia and Connectivity at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, underlined the strategic role of the corridor: 

“The Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor offers an opportunity to deepen economic ties, facilitate trade and connect businesses across our regions. Its success will depend not only  on infrastructure, but also on efficient logistics, interoperable transport systems, streamlined border procedures and stronger regional cooperation.” 

In total, about 80 participants from French private and public sector attended this event, which brought together for the first time the representatives of five Central Asian PPP authorities to present their mature investment-ready projects in Paris.

Beyond the Investor Day, a broader programme of cooperation with French institutions
and companies

The visit to Paris extended beyond the Investor Day to foster direct dialogue between Central Asian governments and French public institutions, investors and infrastructure companies. In this context, the delegations met representatives and engaged in dialogue with Bpifrance, the French
Development Agency (AFD), Proparco, French Ministry of Transport, Infragestion, OECD, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, Global Gateway Investment Climate Reform (GGICR) Facility to explore opportunities for viable public-private cooperation and investment. The programme also included site visits to Alstom, Société des grands projets and the Rungis International Market to showcase French expertise in infrastructure, transport and logistics. 
Team Lead of the TCTC Capacity Development Programme, Expertise France , Jan Blinka stated that:

“The visit of high-level delegations from five Central Asian countries to Paris gives a unique opportunity to both our partners and European companies. Delegations can present their bankable projects to potential investors and create new links which may eventually lead to future financing and implementation of viable PPP projects in the transport sector. And for European companies, this visit is a chance to showcase their solutions for transport infrastructure and logistics, which are key development areas for the whole of Central Asia,”  

Strengthening regional capacity under the EU’s Global Gateway strategy

The visit is part of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor (TCTC) Capacity Development Programme, co-funded by the European Union, France and Germany and implemented jointly by GIZ and Expertise France. Under the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, the programme supports institutional reforms and capacity development across the five Central Asian countries to improve transport connectivity between Central Asia and Europe.

By facilitating regional cooperation, strengthening PPP project preparation and creating direct links with potential investors and partners, the programme contributes to turn transport infrastructure priorities into viable projects and supporting more efficient, predictable and sustainable connectivity along the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor.