BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 9. The Middle Corridor is vital for landlocked countries, the Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Kazakhstan, Jeff Erlich, said during a briefing following the visit of an American business delegation to Baku, Trend reports.
"Of course, we have just returned from lunch with our colleagues here in Azerbaijan. The American-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce is for this initiative. Natig, as you know, is a very modest man, but he has had this idea for many years, and we have only now been able to implement it. Thus, I represent about 107 companies, mostly international, mostly American. The business community in Central Asia needs to have viable export routes for raw materials, as well as, of course, for industrial goods, as Kazakhstan seeks to develop the production of industrial goods and the petrochemical industry, i.e., not only crude oil, but also petrochemical products. The existence of an extensive network of transport routes is extremely important," he said.
Erlich noted that Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan do not have access to the sea.
"Yes, they have access to the Caspian Sea, but they are still considered landlocked. That is why opening and strengthening this route is extremely important. For landlocked countries that depend on the export and import of goods, transport infrastructure is the key to prosperity. Without it, progress is limited; with it, the future looks promising," he said.