BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 26
By Sadraddin Agjayev – Trend:
Plans for the Azerbaijani section of Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA), statistics of this organization for 2018-2019, issues of import and export of the most demanded goods of Azerbaijan were reviewed at a meeting of the Permanent Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) TRACECA, Secretary General of the Permanent Secretariat of IGC TRACECA Aset Asavbayev told Trend.
"In 2020, we are going to develop our transport corridor in all sections by introducing new equipment, digital technologies in the field of transport, developing border infrastructure, introducing scanners to improve the identification of goods that do not meet international norms and standards," Asavbaev said.
"At the same time, the volume of freight traffic on the Azerbaijan section of the TRACECA exceeded 52.7 million tons, and cargo turnover amounted to 158.3 million tons in 2019. During this year, freight traffic on the Azerbaijani section of the TRACECA increased by 0.2 percent compared to 2018," the secretary general added.
Asavbayev also noted that over 34.6 million tons or 65.6 percent of the cargo were transported by road, 13.3 million tons or 25.3 percent - by rail, 4.8 million tons or 9.1 percent - by sea, and 15.3 percent or 8.7 million tons of transit cargo were transported along the corridor.
The secretary general stated that the country's main exported product is oil and gas, adding that chemical products from Sumgayit city, vegetables and food products are also the most exported goods.
Meanwhile, goods imported to Azerbaijan include automobiles of various brands, office equipment and electronics of Chinese manufacture, sugar and other consumer goods, Asavbayev said.
The Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) TRACECA is open for all the initiatives promoting the development of regional transport dialogue and ensuring the efficient and reliable Euro-Asian transport links, promoting the regional economy on the whole.
TRACECA corridor is involved in gradually developing trends of trade and economic development. Major traffic flows passing through a corridor formed on the one hand, in Western and Central Europe, and on the other - in Central and South-East Asia.