Liberation of its territories to boost Azerbaijan’s transport sector

By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

New international transit routes, which will pass through Azerbaijan’s liberated lands and Nakhchivan exclave, will increase Azerbaijan’s and other partner countries’ possibilities in transport and logistics sector, Minister of Transport, Communications, and High Technology Rashad Nabiyev has said.

Addressing the meeting with local companies participating in international road transport on April 26, Nabiyev noted that Azerbaijan has over 4,700 km of roads with a total length of over 19,000 km of state significance, adding that after the restoration of the country’s liberated territories, another 2,000 km will be added to these roads.

“The liberated lands and new international transit routes through Nakhchivan will further expand opportunities for participants in the transport and logistics sector,” Nabiyev stressed.

Speaking about the necessary steps to improve the competitiveness of national carriers not only in the local market but also in the region, the minister called on local companies to become part of the global network and intensify their efforts to integrate into it.

“Local companies providing innovative, safe, and reliable services can strengthen their position in the regional market through international partnership,” the minister stated.

Addressing the meeting, Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov emphasized President Ilham Aliyev’s special attention to the development of infrastructure, along with other sectors of the economy, noting that large public investments have been made in this area. He added that logistics and transit capacity has been expanded as a result of work done to improve the transport sector.

Jabbarov stated that important measures have been taken recently to increase export, import, and transit turnover in the non-oil sector, which in turn, positively affects the growth of the volume on international freight traffic.

Noting that infrastructure plays an important role in economic development, he emphasized the great competition in the freight market and the need to improve the competitiveness of local companies.

Furthermore, the minister stressed that road transport plays an important role in cargo transportation, and thus important steps should be taken to increase the share of local companies transporting international goods by road.

Likewise, Jabbarov stated that within the framework of public-private partnership in Azerbaijan, it is advisable to set up a working group of representatives of relevant government agencies, international road transport companies, and public associations in this area.

The meeting was organized by Azerbaijan’s Export and Investment Promotion Foundation with the support of the Economy Ministry and Transport, Communications, and High Technologies Ministry. The business meeting was held in support of local transport companies and carriers and was attended by representatives of government agencies, companies operating in the field of international road transport.