Located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Azerbaijan sits on vital transport links in both East-West and North-West (as well as North-South) directions. Particularly, freight transportation carried out via the Caspian Sea creates an alternative and strategic route for Central Asian countries to access European markets.
Sea-news.az reports that Turkish economist-expert Canip Nuray stated this in an interview with AZERTAC.
The expert noted that Azerbaijan’s favorable geographical location increases the country’s transit significance in providing Central Asian nations with access to international markets. According to him, Azerbaijan’s transport infrastructure has been significantly developed in recent years.
“The Baku International Sea Trade Port, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line, and other regional transport projects have created conditions for expanding our country’s transit capabilities. These projects create important opportunities for cargo originating from Central Asian countries to be transported via the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan, and from here through Georgia and Turkey to Europe. The development of the Middle Corridor is of particular importance from the perspective of further increasing Azerbaijan’s transit potential. Utilizing the capabilities of this route in bringing industrial and agricultural products produced by Central Asian countries to world markets serves to expand mutual economic relations,” Canip Nuray emphasized.
In the expert’s opinion, alongside the development of transport connections, expanding cooperation in the energy sector is also an important element of regional economic security. Azerbaijan’s energy infrastructure and participation in international energy projects strengthen its role in energy cooperation between Europe and Asia.
“Azerbaijan’s geographical location and the modern transport infrastructure it has established create new economic opportunities for all member states. Increasing transit transportation across the Caspian Sea not only facilitates the access of Central Asian countries to world markets but also strengthens Azerbaijan’s position as a regional logistics hub,” the expert stated.
Canip Nuray added that in the future, increasing the efficiency of transit routes, expanding the capabilities of ports and railway infrastructure, as well as introducing digital customs and logistics systems can have a positive impact on the turnover of trade among regional countries.
According to him, the transport and energy projects implemented via Azerbaijan serve not only the economic interests of individual countries, but the formation of sustainable and secure connections across the entire Eurasian space.
