By Ingilab Mammadov
Copyright trend
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 24. President of
the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has addressed the
participants of the 6th Caspian Business Forum: “Connectivity,
Finance, and Energy along the Middle Corridor”, Trend reports.
“Dear event participants!
I warmly welcome you to the 6th Caspian Business Forum, held
under the theme “Connectivity, Finance, and Energy along the Middle
Corridor”, organized by the Caspian Policy Center.
The Middle Corridor is a strategic project spanning a vast
geography. It provides a reliable and secure route connecting
Europe and Asia through the Caspian Sea, serving as the shortest
and most efficient pathway for cargo transportation from Asia to
Europe and back.
Azerbaijan’s favorable geographic location – right at the
crossroads of two continents – enables our country to play a
pivotal role in connectivity issues. Today, we can proudly say
that, thanks to Azerbaijan’s long-term vision and tireless efforts,
a major project like the Middle Corridor, which provides better
synergy between Asia and Europe, has become a reality. Full
commissioning of the Middle Corridor has been made possible not
only by Azerbaijan’s economic potential but also by the political
stability and security factor that prevail in our country.
We have made significant investments in transport infrastructure
along the Middle Corridor, particularly in seaport, shipyard,
railways, and other logistics infrastructure. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars
railway, Baku International Sea Trade Port, and the Caspian cargo
fleet all form essential transport infrastructure that ensures the
smooth functioning of the Middle Corridor. In the Azerbaijani
segment of the Middle Corridor, work is underway to upgrade,
digitize, and modernize infrastructure, as well as to expand its
transit capacity.
Over the past three years, cargo shipments along the Middle
Corridor through Azerbaijan have grown by approximately 90 percent,
while transit times have been significantly shortened. Projections
indicate that by 2030, the freight capacity of the Middle Corridor
will triple compared to 2021, with transit times expected to be cut
On August 8 of this year, a Joint Declaration signed between
Azerbaijan and Armenia in Washington, witnessed by U.S. President
Mr. Donald Trump, established the foundation for the “Trump Route
for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP), which will ensure
uninterrupted connectivity between the main territory of the
Republic of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
I am sure that TRIPP, to become the next crucial segment of the
Middle Corridor, will serve as a key transport link connecting Asia
and Europe, expanding the transit capacity for international cargo
shipments, and contributing to the prosperity of regional countries
as well as their integration into global supply chains. TRIPP also
offers significant potential for the future transportation of
energy resources, the export of electricity – particularly
renewable energy – and the installation of fiber-optic lines,
thereby helping transform the region into an international hub for
trade and digital communications. Azerbaijan has mobilized all its
efforts to ensure the prompt realization of this route.
We view the Middle Corridor as a powerful catalyst for regional
economic growth and integration, recognizing it as a key driver
that promotes the development of infrastructure, industry, and
business, while fostering stability and prosperity across the
I am confident that today’s event will cultivate a fruitful
exchange of ideas and the advancement of new initiatives centered
on the Middle Corridor and the opportunities it presents,
supporting deeper regional and global integration.
I extend my best wishes and wish this conference every success,”
the address reads.
