BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 24. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is open to financing infrastructure and logistics projects in Azerbaijan through EIB Global, provided they align with European Union (EU) priorities and Azerbaijan’s connectivity goals under the Global Gateway strategy and the EU’s new strategic approach to the Black Sea region, Stella Renita, Head of the EIB Regional Representation for the South Caucasus in Tbilisi, told Trend.
Azerbaijan serves as a crucial gateway along the Middle Corridor
Renita emphasized Azerbaijan’s key role along the Middle Corridor, as it is part of the extended Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) and the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor.
"There is significant potential for closer integration of rail, port, and road infrastructure, which will enhance connections between Central Asia and Europe, reduce transit times, and support more diversified trade routes.
EIB is already involved in improving the safety of the Baku–Beyuk Kesik rail corridor, a critical section of the Middle Corridor, under the Facility for Eastern Partnership Investment in Connectivity (FEPIC), financed by the EU and managed by EIB. These initiatives have improved operational safety, shortened transit times, reduced emissions, and ensured compliance with EU environmental and technical standards," she said.
Renita highlighted that attracting private investment is a central goal of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy. The EIB can deploy financial instruments such as long-term loans, project finance structures, blended finance, and risk-sharing mechanisms supported by EU budget guarantees under the NDICI-Global Europe program (the EU's main external financial instrument for 2021-2027). These tools reduce risk, improve bankability, and make infrastructure projects more attractive to private investors.
EIB sees Azerbaijan’s potential as a hub for expanding multimodal transport corridors
She stressed Azerbaijan’s potential to become a key transit hub on east-west routes, strengthening multimodal connections between Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia in line with the EU’s connectivity priorities.
"The EIB prioritizes investments that enhance the integration of different transport modes, rail, ports, and roads, while boosting efficiency, safety, and sustainability. Special emphasis is placed on projects supporting low-carbon transport, regional integration, and adherence to European technical, environmental, and operational standards, all of which help ensure sustainable trade flows to and from Europe," Renita noted.
The EIB promotes digital solutions to optimize operations along the Middle Corridor
"Digitalization is also a major priority for the corridor's efficiency.
"Digital solutions are central to the EU’s Global Gateway strategy and serve as a critical complement to physical infrastructure. The EIB supports the adoption of intelligent transport systems, digital freight solutions, port information systems, and tools that enhance data transparency, traceability, and border procedure efficiency.
Along corridors such as the Middle Corridor, digital solutions play a key role in removing bottlenecks, strengthening management, and improving overall corridor performance. Any EIB involvement in these projects will fully comply with EU digital and governance standards and will be implemented in close cooperation with national authorities, the European Commission, and other relevant stakeholders," she concluded.
The Facility for Eastern Partnership Investment in Connectivity (EPIC) is an EU-funded initiative, administered by the European Investment Bank (EIB), offering free technical assistance and advisory support to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine for the development of feasible transport projects, especially those in accordance with the EU's Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). It assists these Eastern Partnership nations in developing projects that comply with international standards, rendering them "investment-ready" for financing from entities such as the EIB, EBRD, and World Bank, hence enhancing connectivity between the region and the EU.
The Middle Corridor is a transport and trade route that passes through a number of countries in the region and connects Asia with Europe. It serves as an alternative to the traditional Northern and Southern corridors.
The route begins in China and passes through Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It then crosses the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye, before entering Europe. The Middle Corridor is a land route that bypasses longer sea routes, connecting eastern Asia, including China, with Europe.
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