BAKU, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9
Trend:
The interest in the Zangezur corridor, including the regional countries, is growing, analyst of the Azerbaijani Center for Economic Reforms Analysis and Communication Joshgun Jafarov told Trend .
“The new opportunities that arose on the geo-economic map of Eurasia after the victory of Azerbaijan [in Karabakh war] stipulated the reality of the complete reorganization of the international transport system,” Jafarov added.
“Many Asian countries already realize these new opportunities,” analyst said. “In particular, the economic importance of the Zangezur Corridor for the Central Asian countries' access to the new markets should be emphasized.”
“The possibility of transporting goods from China, one of the main locomotives of the world economy, along the Central Asian route, as well as formation of a transport corridor, an alternative route through the Suez Canal, create conditions for the transformation of Azerbaijan, including the Zangezur corridor, into an important transport route,” Jafarov said.
“As is known, the ship, operated by Taiwanese transport company Evergreen Marine, ran aground and became lodged sideways across Egypt's Suez Canal,” analyst said. “It caused the damage worth $9.6 billion, including $5.1 billion in daily cargo shipments in the western direction and $4.5 billion in the eastern direction.”
“If one takes into account that in general, about 12 percent of the world trade is carried out through this channel, one can clearly see the economic importance of alternative transport routes, including through Azerbaijan with the Zangezur corridor, in the transport infrastructure of Eurasia," Jafarov said.
Jafarov stressed that the discussion of the transport and logistics capabilities of South Asia and the South Caucasus at the level of the presidents of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan gives grounds to speak about the great interest of the Central Asian countries in the use of new transport corridors, including Azerbaijan’s transit possibilities.
“Another important point in connection with the Zangezur Corridor is that it creates new prospects for the reintegration of countries involved in Ashgabat Agreement into Europe,” analyst said.
"It was signed among Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Oman, India and Pakistan to develop transport relations in the Eurasian region and ensure joint activity with other transport corridors,” Jafarov said.
“The direction of international cargo transportation through these countries to the Eurasian markets via the Zangezur corridor can play a special role in increasing economic potential of the Karabakh region,” analyst said.
Jafarov added that construction of both the railway and the highways, which will become part of the Zangezur corridor, is underway.
"The construction of a two-lane 'Victory Road' stretching 101.9 km will restore the social and economic ties in the Karabakh region, linking Fuzuli district with Shusha city,” Jafarov said.
“The construction of the Horadiz - Jabrayil - Zangilan - Agbend road with a length of 123.8 kilometers, a four-lane Khudaferin-Gubadly-Lachin road with a length of 70 kilometers, a two-lane Kalbajar-Lachin road with a length of 73 kilometers, a four-lane Fuzuli-Hadrut road with a length of 13 kilometers, a four-lane Barda-Aghdam road with a length of 45 meters, diversifying the exits to the transport corridors of the Karabakh region and entire Azerbaijan, will increase the importance of the routes passing from here,” analyst said.
“The countries of the South Caucasus, namely, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia, as well as neighboring countries, namely, Turkey, Russia and Iran with the restoration of communications in the region through geopolitical cooperation in the "3 + 3" format can create a new economic center in international transit transportation,” the analyst said.
“Of course, political and economic significance of the Zangezur corridor within this cooperation is undeniable,” Jafarov said. “When evaluating other projects envisaged for implementation in the region, the Zangezur corridor is a more profitable alternative for the regional countries from a financial point of view.”
“Over the past long period, the international financial institutions, foreign countries, Armenia were unable to finance the construction of a new railway line, which was supposed to pass through Iran and Armenia, worth $3.5 billion,” the analyst said.
“Proceeding from the abovementioned facts, it is possible to conclude that the new economic situation with the creation of the Zangezur corridor will be of particular importance in the transport infrastructure of Asia and Europe,” Jafarov said.