By Azernews

By Sabina Mammadli

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has assigned a code to the Zangilan International Airport in liberated Karabakh, Digital Development and Transport Ministry has reported. 

The airport has been assigned the four-digit ICAO code "UBBZ," which will be published in the ICAO Location Indicators (ICAO, Doc 7910/182) in March.

State Civil Aviation Agency Director Arif Mammadov praised ICAO's recognition of another liberated Karabakh city as a reliable partner and stated that its inclusion in the catalog is a source of pride.

"A new air hub is being built on the foundation of the airports currently under construction in Karabakh and East Zangezur. Within a short period of time, Zangilan Airport will become one of the region's transportation and transit hubs," he added.

It should be noted that the construction and commissioning of Zangilan Airport will link the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic to Azerbaijan's main territory. It will also help to build a large modern logistics hub in the region.

The construction of the airport commenced in April 2021, another historic achievement of the country.  

On August 12, 2021, the State Urban Planning and Architecture Committee established the Karabakh Regional Main Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, ensuring the systematic and consistent implementation of restoration and reconstruction work in the liberated lands.

Furthermore, massive projects like Fuzuli International Airport, which opened on October 26, 2021, and the Zangilan and Lachin international airports, which are currently under construction, aim to create favorable conditions not only for investment but also for the region's tourism development.

Azerbaijan also started to implement great road construction projects in Karabakh and the East Zangazur regions. On November 7, 2021, the Victory Road connecting the Fuzuli region with the Shusha city was built and inaugurated in a short period of time. Currently, work is underway on the construction of over 1,400 kilometers of roads, as well as telecommunications networks on the liberated territories.

Over the past year, the country launched Shusha, Fuzuli, Kalbajar, Jabrayil, Zangilan, Gubadli substations, as well as Gulabird and Kalbajar-1 Hydroelectric Power Stations to provide uninterrupted energy supply in these regions. Moreover, steps have been taken to implement the Green Energy concept to ensure sustainable energy supply in the area.

Azerbaijan launched the implementation of the “smart village” projects in its liberated lands to promote economic development, as well as modern governance models in the region. The first such project was launched in Zagilan’s Aghali village.

Azerbaijan allocated $1.5 billion for the reconstruction of the liberated territories in 2021. In particular, these funds will be used to restore the infrastructure (electricity, gas, water, communications, roads, education, health, etc), as well as cultural and historical monuments.