BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 19. Azerbaijan continues to promote its multimodal connectivity agenda as an integral part of its post-conflict development strategy, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said during an event held within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Trend reports.
Speaking at a panel titled “Cities at the Center of Connectivity: Urban Reconstruction and Regional Cooperation,” Bayramov said addressing obstacles to the safe return of displaced populations requires more than rebuilding physical infrastructure.
“The key issue is creating conditions for long-term peace and cooperation,” he said.
Bayramov noted that new transport corridors, railways, highways, energy infrastructure and digital networks are integrating reconstruction areas into broader regional and international economic systems.
“These investments not only increase mobility, trade, investment, tourism and employment, but also strengthen regional interdependence and long-term stability,” he said.
According to the minister, the impact of these projects extends beyond Azerbaijan’s borders by enhancing connectivity between Asia and Europe and contributing to broader regional economic cooperation.
Bayramov said Azerbaijan, as one of the key participants in the Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor and the North-South Corridor, is consistently advancing its multimodal connectivity agenda as a core element of its post-conflict strategy.
The minister also recalled that the Washington Declaration adopted in August 2025 laid the foundation for a new connectivity route called the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP).
According to Bayramov, the project will provide uninterrupted multimodal connectivity between mainland Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan exclave while creating a new strategic route linking Asia and Europe.
He said the corridor will include railways, highways, energy pipelines, electricity transmission lines and fiber-optic cables.
Bayramov added that the Horadiz-Aghband railway and Türkiye’s new Kars-Igdir railway line will complement the Zangezur Corridor, further strengthening transport links between Asia and Europe.
WUF13 is being held in Baku from May 17 to 22 under cooperation between the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the Azerbaijani government.
The forum brings together governments, experts, communities and international partners to discuss housing, sustainable urban development and other major global urban challenges under the theme “Housing for All: Safe and Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements.”
The third day of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) is underway in Baku.
On the first day, a ministerial meeting dedicated to the New Urban Agenda, a roundtable of ministers, assemblies of women and civil society, business sessions, and discussions on urban well-being were held. A ceremony for raising the flags of the United Nations and Azerbaijan also took place within the framework of the forum.
The second day of the forum drew attention with the first-ever Leaders Summit. High-level discussions on the global housing crisis, urbanization policy, and urban resilience were held that day. At the same time, the Mexico City pavilion was inaugurated within the framework of WUF13. The pavilion was presented as an important platform for expanding cooperation with the Latin American region and preparing for WUF14.
WUF13, which has attracted more than 40,000 registered participants from 182 countries, will continue until May 22. Held under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities,” the forum brings together governments, international organizations, experts, and representatives of civil society to strengthen global cooperation in the field of sustainable urban development.
