BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 11. The joint declaration on peaceful settlement between Baku and Yerevan and the creation of a transport corridor between the two South Caucasus republics, signed on August 8 in Washington by the leaders of the US, Azerbaijan, and Armenia and named the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity,” can mark a new stage in the development of regional connectivity, strengthening trust, and creating conditions for sustainable economic growth, said a political science professor from Uzbekistan, Saifiddin Juraev in an exclusive interview with Trend.
“The throughput capacity potential of the Zangazur Corridor at the initial stage, based on Azerbaijan’s estimates, is 15 million tons of cargo. The construction of the railway up to the border junction with Armenia and Iran is nearing completion, and the Azerbaijani section is planned to be commissioned already in 2026. The implementation of the project will open an additional direction of the international ‘North-South’ corridor through Eastern Zangazur, creating new routes to Iran, Turkey, and beyond, which will significantly expand the possibilities for transit volume growth,” the expert explained.
“In this context, the launch of the Zangazur Corridor will be an important step in strengthening transport connectivity in Central Asia, expanding access to new markets, and creating additional opportunities for economic growth and cooperation in Eurasia. One of the key advantages of the Zangazur Corridor is the shortening of trade route distances, which will allow Central Asian countries to significantly accelerate the delivery of goods to Europe. This will create conditions for reducing transport costs, improving logistics efficiency, and expanding mutual trade volumes,” Juraev noted.
“The Zangazur Corridor is seen as a significant project for the countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus. According to World Bank calculations published by Forbes, its opening could increase the annual volume of world trade by $50–100 billion by 2027. Bloomberg estimates that unlocking the route will reduce cargo transit time across Eurasia by 12–15 hours. Analysis by the Caspian Policy Center indicates potential infrastructure cost savings of $3–5 billion over 5–10 years, while forecasts by Oxford Economics predict a reduction of logistics costs by $20–30 billion per year. This means that the implementation of the Zangazur Corridor can give a strong impetus to the development of regional trade, increase the competitiveness of national economies, and strengthen Central Asia’s position in the global transport and logistics chains,” he emphasized.