By Ansar Mahmood Bhatti
Today, Azerbaijan is an attractive country in the world. The creation of political and economic stability, favorable business and investment environment ensure the realization of any project in the country. The current investment policy and successful business environment do not only attract local investors but also, attract foreign investors.
The dynamic development gained in all spheres of public life in the country in recent years has significantly increased the geopolitical significance of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Along with all of these, important tasks such as active participation in socio-economic processes in the global economic space, effective access to foreign markets, and the formation of a competitive national industry have become a necessity. The issues such as globalization, rapid integration, and sustainable development, etc., which are typical for the modern era, have also specific importance for the country.
Azerbaijan is one of the main initiators of the billion invested in projects, and the projects have been successfully completed. These projects include East-West”, “North-South” transport corridors, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline, one of the priority energy projects for the European Union (Shah Deniz-2, the expansion of the South Caucasus pipeline), Southern Gas Corridor.
Besides the infrastructures of state economy, such as energy, communication, education, and health care, the transport also plays an important role for achieving social, economic, foreign policy and other public priorities by ensuring initial demands of community life.
The country is one of the transport and logistical hubs within Eurasia. Efforts are underway to develop international transportation corridors and establish modern infrastructure. The opening of the East-West and North-South corridors has created new economic and transportation opportunities.
Azerbaijan closely cooperates with countries located along the corridor in an effort to promote the Middle Corridor. The mentioned Corridor offers a reliable and secure route linking China and Central Asia with Europe through Azerbaijan. Since 2022, cargo traffic along the Middle Corridor through Azerbaijan has increased by nearly 90 percent, with transit times considerably reduced.
Among the new projects, the importance of the Zangezur corridor should also be highlighted. This project was initiated by Azerbaijan and gained prominence after its victory in the Second Karabakh War. Thus, recent agreements connecting mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic are expected to expand transit capabilities for international transportation further.
In this context, the Zangezur Corridor will soon become an essential segment of the Middle Corridor, along with the North-South Corridor, thereby fostering peace, multilateral cooperation, and benefiting Azerbaijan’s neighboring countries to the east, west, north, and south.
As part of Azerbaijan’s focused policy objectives, concerted efforts are underway to bolster both the development of domestic transport infrastructure and the transformation of the nation into a Eurasian transport hub. Highways situated along international transport corridors within Azerbaijan are undergoing reconstruction to meet the highest available standards. Moreover, significant initiatives such as transitioning from direct to alternating current, conducting comprehensive infrastructure overhauls, modernizing the railway traffic structure, and enhancing control systems are currently in progress within the railway sector.
