Azernews.Az

By Leman Mammadova

Located on the New Silk Road, Azerbaijan has a unique geographical position. The country has been actively offering transport infrastructures through the South Caucasus for cargo transportation between Asia and Europe. Geographically, it is the shortest route between China and Western Europe.

In recent decades, Baku has been the initiator and active participant in a number of projects to develop Euro-Asian transport links passing through the territory of the Caucasus, Minister of Transport, Communication and High Technologies of Azerbaijan Ramin Guluzade has said.

“Being an important link on the route of the New Silk Road, Azerbaijan attaches great importance to regional and wider cooperation,” he noted.

Guluzade made remarks at the 3rd International Silk Road Forum: “Partnership for Global Impact”, on the panel “Transport Connectivity – Transformation along the Silk Road and beyond” held on October 22, in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Guluzade stressed that since the beginning, ancient Silk Road ensures efficient transport as well as unites civilizations and cultures, and brings rapprochement of peoples and nations.

He added that effective integration of countries into the global economic community is impossible in the modern world without reliable transport links that can satisfy their transport needs.

“The issue of rational organization of international transport in this regard is very relevant. The selection and implementation of priority projects, the creation of effective transport and logistics systems and the achievement of coordinated management of transport operations are issues that require special attention. Under present conditions, the approach to the appointment of transport should be perceived as a system of global activity,” he added.

Referring to Azerbaijan’s transport policy, Guluzade noted that it is based on institutional reforms, the application of a logistics concept, improvement of the legal framework, reconstruction of infrastructure and the introduction of information technologies in the field of transport.

In this regard, he highlighted the commissioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line and the launch of the Baku International Sea Trade Port.

“All this happens in close cooperation with partners from other countries. I would like to emphasize close business and partnerships with our colleagues from Georgia, Turkey and Kazakhstan, who take part in this event. But our cooperation network is much wider; it covers other regional countries. Therefore, it is possible to ensure effective cooperation,” added Guluzade.

Later, Deputy Minister Elmir Valizade delivered a speech at a panel “Connecting to Europe – The Development of the Extended Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T)”.

Valizade stressed the development of all areas of transport in Azerbaijan over the past 15 years. “High-quality roads are being built in the country. There is already such a road connecting Azerbaijan with Georgia. Work is underway to develop roads with Iran. Such a new road is currently being built to Russia.”

He touched upon the numerous projects initiated and implemented both by Azerbaijan and in cooperation with other states, in particular, the BTK railway, the Baku International Sea Trade Port, and the North-South project.

As for the cooperation with Georgia in this direction, Valizade said that a system of cargo transportation operates between the two countries.

He stressed that Azerbaijan has contributed to the development of TEN-T.

Azerbaijan and Georgia, located between the Caspian and Black Seas, are important as transit regions in the Middle Corridor. The cargo arriving from the European Union on this multimodal route passes through the Black Sea or Turkey, and travels across the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan, and then by rail to China.

As part of the expansion plan for the TEN-T project, the EU estimates 2.120 billion euros of total investment in railway and road projects linking these countries. At least 328 million euros has been allocated to work on signaling, telecommunications and electrification on the section passing through the territory of Azerbaijan from the border of Georgia to the Baku port.

The projects in Azerbaijan, worth 1.1 billion euros, include creating five logistics centers (369 million euros) and a free trade zone in Alat (410 million euros) and modernization of the East-West Railway (328 million euros).

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Leman Mammadova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888

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