Fidan proposes global initiative to protect maritime routes — Anadolu Agency
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, speaking at the TRT World Forum in Istanbul, proposed considering the creation of a global initiative to protect key maritime chokepoints and strengthen the resilience of international transport connectivity. Anadolu Agency reports.
According to the minister, geopolitical tensions and disruptions on major trade routes create risks for the global economy and security. He stressed that no country can isolate itself from the consequences of an unstable international environment and that security solutions must be based on mutual trust, shared interests, and the participation of countries in the relevant regions.
Risks to trade and supplies
Fidan said that the military confrontation in the Black Sea, as well as growing danger around the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, threaten international trade, energy supplies, and food security. He noted that attacks on commercial vessels and disruptions to maritime traffic in the Black Sea affect the transport of essential goods, including grain.
The minister also said that the concentration of global trade and energy flows on a limited number of routes creates structural vulnerability. In his view, countries should develop existing networks and alternative transport corridors to reduce excessive dependence on individual supply routes.
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Proposed international initiative
Under Fidan's concept, such an initiative could bring together states and relevant international actors to preserve freedom of navigation, ensure uninterrupted supplies of essential goods, diversify transport and energy routes, and prioritize diplomacy in responding to emerging threats.
The head of Turkish diplomacy described the Middle Corridor between Asia and Europe via the Caspian region and the South Caucasus, as well as the Development Road project, which is intended to connect Persian Gulf countries with Europe through Iraq and Türkiye, as part of a strategy for regional economic integration and strengthening supply chains.
Fidan also mentioned Türkiye's experience of diplomatic involvement in the Black Sea Grain Initiative. He said that sustained diplomatic engagement can deliver practical results even amid armed conflict.
