Minister: Middle Corridor emerges as key East-West trade artery

The Middle Corridor is becoming one of the most important international trade routes, offering a sustainable and secure alternative to northern paths, Azerbaijani Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev has said.

He made the remarks while speaking at the Global Gateway conference in Brussels, emphasising that Azerbaijan’s strategy focuses on creating a unified space of physical and digital connectivity, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

According to the minister, long before the Middle Corridor emerged as a key transport route between East and West, Azerbaijan began actively investing in its development, even when priority was given to northern routes.

He noted that the Azerbaijani government is implementing a “dual transformation” concept, combining traditional transport corridors with modern digital solutions to ensure transparency, efficiency, and trust among supply chain participants. 

“Azerbaijan has established an integrated multimodal transport system linking rail, road, maritime, and air routes. At its core is the Baku International Sea Trade Port in Alat — the largest hub on the Caspian, playing a strategic role in the development of the Middle Corridor,” Nabiyev said. 

Minister emphasized the importance of the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars (BTK) railway, which has become a key link connecting China, Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Europe. Azerbaijan started this project at a time when the corridor’s potential was just beginning to gain international recognition. 

Recently, the government allocated an additional $100 million to expand BTK’s capacity, enabling a significant increase in cargo volumes in the coming years.

By Jeyhun Aghazada