“Azerbaijan and Georgia today play a leading role in enhancing regional cooperation and fulfilling their historical mission in a new format and structure, so that a new transport and logistics corridor connects Europe and Asia along the Eurasian route,” stated Azerbaijan’s Prime Minister Ali Asadov in his speech at the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum.
According to him, Georgia and Azerbaijan are now trusted partners, not only in political terms but also in the realms of economic collaboration, energy, and transport.
“Mr Irakli, Prime Minister of Georgia, Mr Nikol, Prime Minister of Armenia, and distinguished delegates, I welcome you all and extend my gratitude to the Prime Minister of Georgia for this traditional invitation, for the very warm reception, and for the excellent organisation of the forum. I am very pleased to be back in the capital of Georgia. Every year, Tbilisi becomes even more magnificent; the city is growing and developing, and the progress and advancements compared to last year are truly impressive.
The theme of this year’s forum is highly significant. Over recent years, this gathering has become a prestigious international platform for exchanging ideas on regional and global issues. The latest global developments, and particularly the challenges we are now discussing regarding economic cooperation and transport, underscore the importance of this gathering,” said Ali Asadov [The quotes were translated from Georgian language simultaneous interpretation].
According to him, Azerbaijan and Georgia have been developing along the historic Silk Road for centuries, serving as a bridge between the West and the East. They have played a vital role in fostering development, trade, and strengthening economic ties, as well as enhancing cultural and humanitarian exchange programmes.
“Azerbaijan and Georgia today play a leading role in strengthening these connections, enhancing regional cooperation, and fulfilling their historic mission in a new format and structure to establish a new transport and logistics route linking Europe and Asia along the Eurasian corridor. Over the years, the friendly and strategic partnership between Georgia and Azerbaijan has become one of the most significant milestones for stability and peace in the region. Our countries are now reliable partners, not only politically, but also in terms of economic cooperation, energy, and transport. The transport and transit sector remains a key aspect of our agenda. This sector holds greater potential; trade and investments are set to grow, and new economic opportunities will emerge,” Azerbaijan’s PM has stated.
According to Ali Asadov, Azerbaijan’s strategic geographical location and substantial investments in transport infrastructure bolster its position as a key centre for transport and logistics within the Eurasian region.
“Our country is continually investing in infrastructure development. Last year, our cargo capacity on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway increased from one million to five million tonnes, thanks to Azerbaijan’s investments. The second phase of cargo turnover services, increasing capacity from 15 to 25 million tonnes, has commenced in Baku through the international seaport, which connects the main railways and land routes across our country. Azerbaijan boasts the largest fleet of commercial vehicles in the region. Our transport fleet links the country with the Lachin region, where an international transport airport is currently being established in the Alat Free Economic Zone.
These factors, among others, position Azerbaijan as a key transit and transport hub. I must emphasise that all these developments are integral parts of the Middle Corridor. This corridor exemplifies a reliable route connecting China, Central Asia, and Europe,” stated Ali Asadov.
According to him, Azerbaijan and Georgia are taking a leading role in developing and shaping this strategic corridor.
“Our countries, given their geographical position and modern transport infrastructure, are the most important participants and key players in the Middle Corridor. By working together, we are consistently and deliberately taking steps to develop our infrastructure along this route, streamline border crossing procedures, and enhance transit opportunities. Our agenda includes projects focused on modernisation, port development, and the utilisation of digital mechanisms. Over the past three years, our efforts have resulted in a 90% increase in cargo turnover and the throughput capacity of the Middle Corridor, which expands our potential and helps to reduce transit times, bringing the crossing period down to 15 days,” said Ali Asadov.
According to Azerbaijan’s Prime Minister, Baku is working with partners on transit and tariff policy, as well as on the issue of modal transportation.
“We are working with Georgia to implement this shared policy, including border cooperation, to ensure seamless multimodal transportation between our countries. This is reflected in our long-term agreements, reached earlier this month, which aim to increase cargo turnover and services, with the participation of railway operators from Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan. We agreed that joint efforts will be focused on developing port, railway, and logistics infrastructure, addressing technical shortcomings, and enhancing the corridor’s throughput and cargo handling capacity. We are confident that, through our combined efforts, we will contribute to a substantial boost in the region’s transport and logistics potential, thereby supporting the development of economic ties between Europe and Asia and facilitating greater investment flows,” said Ali Asadov.
According to him, the peace established between Armenia and Azerbaijan enables the historic route to carry a significantly greater load in the region.
“By opening regional communications and establishing connections between the main territory of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, we will further enhance transit opportunities and increase international cargo turnover. We believe that the new route to be inaugurated in the region will become a vital segment of the Middle Corridor, thereby boosting its role and significance within the global transport network.
Azerbaijan remains committed to fostering an atmosphere of trust and cooperation in the region.
As the Prime Minister of Armenia noted in his speech, this progress has been made thanks to President Aliyev and me. I appreciate his kind words and thank him for his recognition. Azerbaijan has made substantial contributions in this regard; all previous restrictions have been lifted, and our relations in this area are now openly developing, a fact demonstrated by the practical steps taken by the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. This signifies that we have established peace not merely on paper or in words, but in reality,” stated the Azerbaijani Prime Minister.
He said that there is a long-term, very beneficial partnership between Azerbaijan and Georgia in the energy sector.
“This strategic partnership has become a success story that transcends regional borders. Cooperation in the energy sector will bring not only economic benefits to Georgia and Azerbaijan but also help us achieve shared strategic objectives and foster development. Such collaboration is a vital prerequisite for international cooperation, as exemplified by the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline, and the Shah Deniz project. The framework of our relations is secure, and the foundation for reliable energy projects remains intact.
The project, initiated by Azerbaijan and actively supported by Georgia, has already become a crucial element of Europe’s energy security. In recent months, Azerbaijani natural gas has been supplied to ten out of fourteen European countries, and we attribute this success to Georgia.
Looking ahead, we are taking further steps towards the development of green energy. Azerbaijan and Georgia are strong partners in expanding renewable energy sources and in the transportation of energy carriers across the Caspian and Black Seas. This exemplifies our shared vision and commitment.
There is no doubt that multilateral cooperation enhances regional stability, mutual trust, and long-term partnerships. We believe that new initiatives in transport, logistics, and transit will be implemented, further strengthening our political stability and regional importance through our joint efforts,” said Ali Asadov.
