Presidential aide: Azerbaijan investing to expand Middle Corridor capacity

Freight traffic along the Middle Corridor is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes, Azerbaijani Presidential Assistant and Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration, Hikmet Hajiyev, announced at the 6th Caspian Business Forum in New York.

The forum, held under the theme “Connectivity, Finance, and Energy along the Middle Corridor,” was organised by the Caspian Policy Centre, Caliber.Az reports via domestic media.

The event opened with a welcoming address by Efgan Nifti, CEO of the Caspian Policy Centre. This was followed by Hikmet Hajiyev, who read out President Ilham Aliyev’s message to the participants, before delivering his own remarks on Azerbaijan’s priorities and regional projects.

According to Hajiyev, Azerbaijan is taking significant steps to expand the transport and logistics potential of the Middle Corridor. “The cargo handling capacity of the Port of Baku is 25 million tonnes per year, and work is underway to expand these capabilities,” he said, adding that additional investments are being made to strengthen infrastructure.

He emphasised the importance of new rail and corridor projects in enhancing regional connectivity. “In 2020, work began on a railway project from Baku to Zangilan and the border with Armenia, which is scheduled for completion by mid-2026. Work is also underway on a 42-kilometre section of the Zangezur Corridor located in Armenia. Our partners from the United States are participating in this project. The third segment covers Nakhchivan. Additional investments are also being made here, and we invite other international partners, including European countries, to cooperate,” Hajiyev noted.

Underscoring Azerbaijan’s broader vision, he stressed: “The main goal is to turn the South Caucasus into a space for cooperation.”

The forum also featured speeches from representatives of Türkiye and Kazakhstan, highlighting the regional and international interest in boosting cooperation along the Middle Corridor.

By Tamilla Hasanova