Kazakhstan and the New Silk Road

The New Silk Road – A unique opportunity

Few anticipated the revival of the ancient trade routes that once spun the Eurasian continent. In the 15th century, the discovery of new sea routes and development of modern vessels by European empires all but extinguished a network that at one point crossed all of Eurasia. Even less envisaged what the One Belt, One Road initiative entailed after it was announced by President Xi Jinping in Astana in 2013. Slowly but surely, the governments of 65 states currently partaking in the initiative, have grasped the importance and the development opportunities that trade and infrastructure investment present. The network connects Asia, Europe and Africa, and promises to further integrate the 4.4 billion people in its sphere into a global network, facilitating the exchange of goods and ideas.