ZANGILAN, Azerbaijan, April 16. Azerbaijan's Aghband bridge is becoming a key link in regional logistics, Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev told reporters, Trend's Karabakh bureau reports.
He said that the bridge is fully ready, and the construction of the border crossing point is expected to be completed soon.
According to him, the Iranian side is also preparing temporary transit infrastructure on its territory. Once the project is fully completed, connectivity between the Persian Gulf and the Black Sea will become more efficient.
Mustafayev also touched upon the issues under discussion. He noted that meetings held within the framework of economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia are now increasingly being organized outside the capitals, in the regions. This creates additional opportunities for broader discussions of both general and regional issues between the parties:
“The first meeting in this format was held in August last year in Astrakhan city during the 23rd session of the intergovernmental commission. This new approach is already becoming a positive tradition, and future sessions are also planned to be organized in the regions.
During this session, the current state of Azerbaijan–Russia economic cooperation across all areas was analyzed, joint proposals were prepared, and relevant decisions were made. The protocol signed as a result of the meeting is considered an important document for future cooperation. Relations between the two countries are successfully developing based on the political will of the presidents. Trade and economic relations are particularly noteworthy. Thus, trade turnover has exceeded $4.9 billion, and in the first three months of the current year, this figure has surpassed $750 million. Additional steps are planned to further increase these figures in the future.
“We expressed our gratitude to the Russian side for the projects it's implementing in the liberated territories. As you know, Russia has established a service center of the ‘KamAZ’ company in the Araz Valley Economic Zone. At the same time, the Astrakhan region continues the construction of a kindergarten in Kahrizli village in the Gubadli district.
A broad economic potential between Azerbaijan and Russia was emphasized, and Russian companies were invited to cooperate in various sectors. Tomorrow, a meeting of the Azerbaijan–Russia Business Council will be held in Baku, where presentations will be organized with the participation of business representatives.
One of the main areas of cooperation between the two countries is transport and logistics. Azerbaijan is located at the intersection of the North–South and East–West transport corridors, which increases the country’s strategic importance.
The Aghband bridge plays a special role in this regard. Through this bridge, it will be possible to transport cargo toward the Persian Gulf. At the same time, this route serves to strengthen Azerbaijan–Iran–Nakhchivan–Türkiye connections,” Mustafayev added.
The deputy prime minister underscored that, according to the agreement signed on December 21, 2024, regarding the North–South transport corridor, it is planned to expand railway capabilities in Azerbaijan and to construct the Rasht–Astara railway line on the Iranian side.
“This project will make it possible to establish a direct railway connection from Russia to the Persian Gulf.
Recent tensions in the region have once again demonstrated the importance of the North–South corridor. At the initiative of the President of Azerbaijan, conditions have been created for the transit of cargo through the direction of Armenia. Within this framework, more than 26,000 tons of cargo have been transported so far, and this step has been highly appreciated,” he pointed out.
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