Chisinau, 10 November. At a meeting in Chisinau the European Commission said that an exchange of statements of intent with partners would mobilise up to €623 million for 5G networks, satellite connectivity, artificial intelligence and data centres along the Middle Corridor between Central Asia and Europe, the Commission said.
It was the first meeting of the Connectivity Platform devoted to digital issues. The Commission and Moldova's Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalisation held it on 9 and 10 November, Agence Europe reported. Taking part were Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos and Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan, ministers responsible for digital transformation, and representatives of EU member states, the Black Sea region, Türkiye, the South Caucasus and Central Asia, international financial institutions and the private sector.
The discussion focused on the Integrated EU Secure Connectivity Offer, a package of European technology, standards, expertise and financing for secure, trusted and resilient digital connectivity along the Middle Corridor. The offer is a regional version of the EU Tech Business Offer from the Union's International Digital Strategy.
The sum named is a ceiling, and it applies to more than Central Asia. The Commission exchanged statements of intent with partner countries, private companies, EU member state organisations and international financial institutions; investment and technical assistance of up to €623 million is to come out of them. A statement of intent records the parties' willingness, not a contract for money. The Commission's announcement names no projects, recipients or shares of financing. Separately, the Commission and Moldova announced the WIFI4Moldova initiative: free Wi-Fi in 30 Moldovan municipalities.
For Kazakhstan the route itself matters. The Middle Corridor, or Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, runs from China through Kazakhstan, the South Caucasus and Türkiye to Europe, Anadolu notes. By 2030 the Commission wants to diversify routes, triple trade flows and shorten freight delivery times. The EU launched its Connectivity Platform in Brussels on 23 June, during the official visit of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev; at the time international financial institutions announced their intention to mobilise up to €2 billion for transport and trade, the Times of Central Asia wrote. The Commission's announcement does not name Kazakhstan among the participants of the digital meeting: it mentions only representatives of Central Asia.
The next steps are named: a second ministerial meeting on security and connectivity will take place in Brussels on 16 November, and a platform meeting on energy in 2027.
What it means: There is as yet no money for the digital corridor in the form of contracts: there are statements of intent worth up to €623 million, and they cover the whole corridor from Moldova to Central Asia. What is new compared with the June launch of the platform is the digital track: 5G, satellites, artificial intelligence and data centres instead of transport and customs. The test will be the list of projects and recipient countries, which the announcement does not contain.
Who benefits: European industry: the offer puts European technology, security standards and public financing in one package. The countries along the corridor, which are promised next-generation networks and data centres. The Commission does not say which countries and projects will receive money, so whether Kazakhstan will gain does not follow from its announcement.
Background: Global Gateway is the European Union's investment strategy: the EU offers partner countries investment in digital, energy and transport links. The Connectivity Platform, launched in June 2026, serves as a framework within which participants agree on investment and policy for transport and trade, energy and digital connectivity.
