BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Uzbekistan is increasing freight transport along the Middle Corridor with Azerbaijan's participation, Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan Laziz Kudratov said at the 2nd Azerbaijan International Investment Forum held in Baku today, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
According to him, global conflicts and geopolitical changes have impacted Uzbekistan's transport and logistics connections with European and Gulf countries.
The minister noted that, as a landlocked country and one that is doubly landlocked, Uzbekistan faces a number of challenges regarding transport and logistics.
"Due to global conflicts and geopolitical shifts, the time required to transport goods from Uzbekistan to Europe or the Gulf states has doubled; while it previously took about 10 days, it now takes at least 20 days," Kudratov pointed out.
According to him, active cooperation with Azerbaijan along the Middle Corridor is underway to address these challenges.
"The volume of cargo transported via Azerbaijan has doubled over the past two to three years. This year alone, an increase of about 30% has been recorded in this figure," the minister said.
Kudratov also noted that Uzbekistan, together with Azerbaijan, is investing in the expansion of ferry infrastructure on the Caspian Sea and the creation of new transport opportunities through the Zangezur Corridor, Nakhchivan, and railway connections.
According to the minister, trade and investment ties between Azerbaijan and Central Asian countries are also developing rapidly. "Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Central Asian countries has currently reached $13 billion. Our goal is to raise this figure to $20 billion by 2030," he emphasized.
He announced that cooperation is not limited to expanding trade; developing mutual industrial partnerships is also a key priority.
"Uzbekistan is investing in Azerbaijan's textile and automotive industries, while Azerbaijan is investing in Uzbekistan's mining, real estate, and energy sectors," said Kudratov.
The minister noted that one of the main objectives is to transform the region into a unified and attractive business environment for foreign investors through the joint efforts of Azerbaijan and Central Asian countries.
Kudratov also touched upon issues regarding energy security and the development of green energy.
"Uzbekistan has attracted significant capital to the renewable energy sector. Currently, the share of green energy in generation capacity has reached 30%. Plans are in place to increase this figure to 54% by 2030," the minister stated.
According to him, this target is intended to be achieved within an energy system that incorporates gas-based energy alongside solar, wind, and hydroelectric power.
"We are working on joint projects with Azerbaijan to transport green electricity to Europe by leveraging the region's potential for generating low-cost solar and wind energy. This includes the establishment of subsea and regional power transmission lines," the minister added.
