Azerbaijani Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies Rashad Nabiyev informed the public about the work done recently to develop the country’s transport and transit infrastructure, measures taken in the field of international cargo transportation.
At the meeting organized by the AZPROMO, it was noted that the total length of roads in Azerbaijan is more than 19,000 kilometers, and more than 4,700 kilometers of them are of national importance. After the restoration of the Azerbaijani territories liberated from the occupation, another 2,000 kilometers will be added to these roads. The liberated lands and new international transit routes that will be opened through Nakhchivan will further expand the opportunities for participants in the transport and logistics sector.
Rashad Nabiyev spoke about the necessary steps to increase the competitiveness of national carriers not only in the local market, but also in the region. The minister called on local companies to become part of the global network and to intensify their efforts on the integration into it. It was noted that local companies providing innovative, safe and reliable services can strengthen their position in the regional market as part of international partnerships.
The construction of a road from Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan has already started. The Nakhchivan railway will join the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, with this implying that the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars and Baku-Nakhchivan-Turkey railway lines are planned to be merged into one. After the plan to build a railway to Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic was disclosed, some experts expressed an opinion that Georgia might no longer be part of The New Silk Road project; however, others believe that the country has such a beneficial geopolitical situation that the prospect of Georgia losing its transit function is unlikely.
