Newsletters
Azerbaijan has largely completed infrastructure work on its section of the Zangezur Corridor, bringing the project closer to realization as a key component of the Middle Corridor linking Türkiye directly to Central Asia.
Azerbaijani Ilham Aliyev said at the seventh Consultative Meeting of Heads of State of Central Asia in Tashkent that the corridor segment within Azerbaijan’s borders is mostly finished, with major progress made in road, railway, tunnel and logistics infrastructure investments, News.Az reports.
The main obstacle to completing the corridor remains a roughly 44-kilometer (27.34 miles) stretch located within Armenian territory.
The status, security arrangements and operational model of this section are central issues in ongoing peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Diplomatic contacts continue alongside international mediation efforts.
If a comprehensive peace agreement is reached, the corridor is expected to become fully operational around 2026.
Limited transit operations could begin earlier depending on the pace of negotiations.
On the Azerbaijani side, regions that remained inactive for nearly 30 years have undergone extensive infrastructure development.
Road networks were renewed, tunnels constructed and railway projects brought close to completion.
Officials emphasize that the remaining challenges are now diplomatic rather than technical.
The Zangezur Corridor is seen as a project that could directly affect geopolitical balances in the South Caucasus.
While the positions of regional actors such as Iran and Russia have varied over time, experts say the corridor would create a strategic route directly connecting the Türkiye-Azerbaijan line to Central Asia, strengthening the long-term economic and political influence of Ankara and Baku.
The Zangezur Corridor is regarded as one of the most critical pillars of the Middle Corridor.
As northern routes have been disrupted by the Russia-Ukraine war and routes passing through Iran face various constraints, the Middle Corridor has emerged as a strategic alternative for Türkiye.
Through this route, Türkiye is expected to strengthen its role as a transit hub in Asia-Europe trade while gaining resilience against tightening global supply chains.
Speaking to CNN Turk, Huseyin Buyukfirat, head of the Türkiye-Azerbaijan Businessmen and Industrialists Public Union (TUIB), said the Zangezur Corridor is positioned at the center of global supply chains in the new period.
“Türkiye and Azerbaijan are the two main pillars of this shared corridor,” Buyukfirat said, adding that the post-Karabakh war environment has further increased the corridor’s strategic significance.
He noted that Azerbaijan has made major investments in road, rail and logistics infrastructure, strengthening connections extending across the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan and China.
Buyukfirat pointed to the Alat Free Economic Zone in Baku, port and airport investments, and planned shipyards on the Caspian Sea as complementary elements supporting the corridor.
He said these projects enhance the corridor’s capacity and connectivity.
Buyukfirat also announced that a second Azerbaijan–Türkiye Investment Forum will be held.
Türkiye’s Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, Trade Minister Omer Bolat and senior Azerbaijani officials are expected to attend.
The forum will focus on new investment areas, incentives and joint projects, particularly in the Karabakh region.
Once completed, the Zangezur Corridor is expected to become a key link in the Middle Corridor connecting Türkiye with Central Asia and Europe. The project is likely to open a new phase for regional trade and reshape geopolitical dynamics in the South Caucasus.
1 min read
1 min read
