BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 2. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit and the meeting in the SCO+ format held yesterday in Bishkek have once again brought the organization's priorities for the coming period to the agenda.
The course of the Bishkek summit, the messages and proposals given by the country's leaders show that the organization aspires to become the main center determining the future development map of the Eurasian continent. In this regard, transport and logistics issues are no longer only of economic, but also geopolitical importance. The development of alternative routes connecting different regions of Eurasia is of great importance for the SCO countries in terms of both expanding trade opportunities and increasing the sustainability of global supply chains.
The role of Azerbaijan in this process is particularly noteworthy.
The country's advantage isn't limited to its location at an important geographical point in Eurasia. In recent years, the transport infrastructure created by Azerbaijan, the international corridors it has developed, and its participation in regional logistics projects have turned this geographical position into real economic opportunities. At a time when relations between Central Asia, China, the South Caucasus, and Europe are expanding, Azerbaijan is becoming one of the important connection points for access to European markets from the SCO area.
In this regard, the role of Azerbaijan is particularly evident in the development of the Middle Corridor. The route connecting China and Central Asia with Europe via the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, the South Caucasus, and Türkiye creates alternative access to global trade for the SCO countries. Azerbaijan's Baku International Sea Trade Port, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, and other transport infrastructure are among the main elements of this connection.
Azerbaijan contributes to the Middle Corridor not only by increasing the cargo transit volume. Baku is implementing specific projects to expand the capacity of the route and is also investing in the development of the transport capabilities of other participants of the corridor.
Statistical indicators show that the Middle Corridor is growing rapidly. While the volume of freight traffic on the route from 2019 through 2021 was approximately 0.6–0.8 million tons, in 2025 this figure exceeded 4 million tons. The more than 5-fold increase in freight traffic over several years indicates that the Middle Corridor has transformed from a regional route into an important alternative transport route on a Eurasian scale.
One of the important examples of Azerbaijan's contribution to the development of the Middle Corridor is the modernization of the Georgian section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line. As a result of the modernization work carried out on the territory of Georgia on the BTK, one of the important segments of the Middle Corridor, the annual freight capacity of the line has been increased from 1 million tons to 5 million tons. This shows that Azerbaijan is not only increasing its own transit capabilities, but also contributing to the expansion of the infrastructure capabilities of other participants in the route. In other words, the infrastructure projects implemented and financially supported by Azerbaijan serve to increase the capacity and competitiveness of the Middle Corridor as a whole.
Thus, for Baku, the issue is not only about increasing transit revenues. The infrastructure projects implemented by Azerbaijan serve to increase the overall throughput capacity of the Middle Corridor and the competitiveness of the route, as well as expand the access of the participating countries to global markets.
Azerbaijan’s transport strategy is not limited to the East-West direction. The country is also an active participant in the International North-South Transport Corridor, which connects the Indian and Persian Gulf regions with the markets of Northern Europe via Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia.
The agenda of the SCO summit in Bishkek also shows that transport and logistics issues will play a greater role in the organization’s future development. The new transit map emerging in Eurasia expands the trade opportunities of the SCO countries, accelerates the development of alternative routes, and increases the sustainability of global supply chains.
Azerbaijan’s approach shows that Baku is interested not only in taking advantage of the routes passing through its territory, but also in expanding the logistics capabilities of all participating countries by investing in boosting the infrastructure and throughput capacity of these routes.
As a result, the Bishkek summit once again confirmed that the future and sustainability of the SCO directly depend on the effectiveness of transport and logistics corridors. This new transit map, which is being formed on the Eurasian continent, both strengthens the economic sovereignty of the organization’s countries and turns Central Asia and the South Caucasus into indispensable transit centers of global trade.
Azerbaijan’s position in this new transport architecture is particularly noteworthy. Strengthening the East-West connection through the Middle Corridor and the connection between Northern Europe and South Asia through the North-South Corridor, Azerbaijan is no longer just a transit country, but also one of the main logistics actors connecting various transport directions of Eurasia and making a practical contribution to the development of these routes. This indicates that Azerbaijan’s strategic weight in the regional and global trade system will continue to grow.
As the SCO's economic agenda expands, the need for reliable, diversified, and competitive transport links between Asia and Europe also grows. Azerbaijan's geographical position, modern infrastructure, and active participation in international corridors further increase Baku's strategic weight in this process.
