Astrakhan will bring together logisticians, business and government at the North–South International Forum

This year, delegations from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, as well as the countries of the Arabian Peninsula and East Africa are expected to attend. The main topic is to use the potential of the North—South international transport corridor to accelerate supplies, diversify routes, and develop exports and imports.

The forum participants will have discussions on the prospects for investments in logistics and transport infrastructure, specialized B2B sessions for establishing contacts between companies, an exchange of export-import proposals, as well as training events covering changes in legislation and business practice.

Ilya Volinsky, Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Astrakhan Region, noted that the North–South Transport Hub is a strategic area providing safe and fast logistics to the Persian Gulf states, India and Africa. He stressed that the region is already showing impressive results — in 2024, more than 6.1 million tons of cargo passed through the ports of Astrakhan, which is 37% more than in the previous year. The region has not seen such volumes for more than ten years.

The organizer of the forum, Alexander Sharov, stressed that the event would become not just a platform for dialogue, but also a place for concluding real agreements. Simultaneous interpretation into Farsi, English and Arabic will be provided for the convenience of the participants, which will greatly simplify international communications and business interaction.

The Astrakhan Forum promises to be a significant step towards forming a new logistics architecture, strengthening trade ties and promoting Russia as a reliable partner in the global supply chain.