BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 12. Nakhchivan, Karabakh, and East Zangezur are becoming a single development space in Azerbaijan, political analyst Azer Garayev told Trend.
He said that President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev's visit to Nakhchivan is of great political, economic, and strategic importance.
According to him, the events held within the framework of the visit and the interview given by the Head of State to Azerbaijan Television show that a new stage in the development of Nakhchivan is beginning.
"At this stage, the main focus is on accelerating economic development, expanding energy and transport capabilities, developing industry, and transforming Nakhchivan into a regional center, along with security," he also said.
Garayev pointed out that one of the issues that attracted the most attention during President Ilham Aliyev's visit was the Zangezur corridor.
"This project is intended not only as a transport line connecting Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan, but also as a broader regional communication system. In addition to the railway and highway, the creation of electrical and fiber-optic lines will increase the economic and strategic importance of the region. The plan to restore the Nakhchivan railway and increase its cargo-carrying capacity to 15 million tons in the future is of particular importance in terms of turning the autonomous republic into an important transit center," the analyst explained.
He noted that energy security is also one of the main directions of the visit.
"Laying the foundation of a 300-megawatt thermal power plant in Nakhchivan, the creation of solar and hydroelectric power plants will further strengthen the energy supply of the region.
As President Ilham Aliyev announced, Nakhchivan has a huge solar energy potential, and in the future it may be able to produce up to 500 or even 1,000 megawatts of electricity. This could create conditions for Nakhchivan to become not only an energy-consuming region, but also an energy-exporting region in the future.
The establishment of the Industrial Park is also one of the important results of the visit. The launch of the Nakhchivan Industrial Park will allow for the establishment of new enterprises, attracting investments and creating new jobs. At the same time, the interest of foreign investors in Nakhchivan's energy and other economic projects indicates that the region's investment opportunities are increasing," Garayev mentioned.
He noted that the development of Nakhchivan's agriculture is also in the spotlight.
"Renewal of irrigation systems, drilling of artesian wells, and putting into use newly irrigated lands can give impetus to the development of the agricultural sector. These measures will create conditions for both increasing employment in rural areas and expanding local production.
Important decisions were also announced during the visit regarding the development of social and transport infrastructure. The commissioning of new electric buses, the purchase of 217 modern inter-district buses, the construction and major repair of approximately 420 kilometers of roads, and the construction and repair of kindergartens are aimed at improving the living conditions of the population. The activities of DOST and ASAN services serve to provide public services in a more accessible and modern form," Garayev announced.
The analyst emphasized that the preservation of the rich historical and cultural heritage of Nakhchivan was also one of the important directions of the visit.
"The restoration of the Momina Khatun mausoleum, the erection of the monument to Ajami Nakhchivani, and the preservation of other historical monuments are of great importance in terms of conveying the cultural potential of Nakhchivan to future generations. This heritage also creates an important opportunity for the development of tourism. The implementation of new hotel projects can also create conditions for more efficient use of the tourism potential of Nakhchivan," he also said.
According to Garayev, during President Ilham Aliyev's visit, the development of Nakhchivan within the framework of a unified development concept with Karabakh and East Zangezur was also emphasized.
"This approach involves coordinating infrastructure, green energy, urban development, and governance in these areas. The opening of the Zangezur corridor could allow for further expansion of economic and transport ties between these regions. In general, President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Nakhchivan shows that the future development of the autonomous republic is not limited to the implementation of social projects at the expense of state investments. The main goal is to turn Nakhchivan into a regional economic center that uses transport, energy, industry, agriculture, and tourism opportunities. The implementation of the Zangezur corridor could be one of the main pillars of this strategy. Thus, the geographical position of Nakhchivan will become its strategic and economic advantage in the future, rather than a factor of isolation," he added.
