OTS chief: Transport potential to double with launch of Zangezur Corridor

The opening of the Zangezur Corridor is of major significance not only for the Turkic states but also for other countries across the wider region, Secretary-General of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) Kubanychbek Omuraliev said in an interview with Azerbaijani media.

Speaking on the sidelines of the second meeting of the OTS ministers of industry, science, technology, and innovation in Baku, Omuraliev noted that the Zangezur Corridor, regarded as one of the key arteries of the Middle Corridor, will benefit a broad range of states.

“The Zangezur Corridor, which forms one of the main links of the Middle Corridor, is important not only for the Turkic countries but also for other nations, including those of the Caucasus region, Iran, and the European Union,” he explained. “This is due to its role in shaping a vital transport connection between Asia and Europe. Once this corridor is implemented, the transport capacity across the region will double, while the distance required for cargo deliveries will be significantly reduced.”

The OTS Secretary-General stressed that the Middle Corridor can be viewed as a continuation of the ancient Silk Road.

“Historically and traditionally known as the Middle Corridor, the Trans-Caspian route is gradually transforming into a tangible and strategically significant project,” Omuraliev said.

The Middle Corridor serves as a transport and trade route that runs through several regional countries, connecting Asia and Europe, and offering an alternative to the traditional Northern and Southern corridors.

Originating in China, the route extends across Central Asian states such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, before crossing the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye, and then continuing onward to Europe. As a largely overland pathway, the Middle Corridor bypasses longer maritime routes, linking the eastern regions of Asia, including China, directly to Europe.

By Tamilla Hasanova