Prime Minister Ali Asadov participated in the opening ceremony of the V Tbilisi "Silk Road" Forum

On a working visit to Georgia, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov participated in the opening ceremony of the 5th Tbilisi Silk Road Forum on October 22.

As reported to BAKU.WS by the Cabinet of Ministers, speaking at the event, A. Asadov emphasized the significance of the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum, noting that in just a few years, the forum has fully established itself as an authoritative and effective international platform for discussing important issues on the regional and global agenda.

According to the Prime Minister, Azerbaijan and Georgia, located on the Great Silk Road - a strategic transport route connecting East and West - have played the role of a bridge between Europe and Asia for centuries, making a significant contribution to the development of trade and economic ties and strengthening cultural and humanitarian exchange.

"Today, Azerbaijan and Georgia, continuing this historic mission in a new context, play a leading role in strengthening regional cooperation and are key participants in the process of forming new transport and logistics routes in the Eurasian space," A. Asadov emphasized.

It was noted that the relations of friendship and strategic partnership uniting Azerbaijan and Georgia have served as one of the important pillars of stability and development in the region for many years. Today, the two countries are reliable partners not only in political terms but also in the economic, energy, and transport spheres.

Noting that the transport and transit sphere traditionally occupies a special place on the agenda, A. Asadov emphasized that the strategically important geographical location of our country and major investments in transport infrastructure have strengthened Azerbaijan's position as a significant transport and logistics center in Eurasia.

"Our country is consistently working on improving its transport infrastructure. Last year, through Azerbaijani investments, the capacity of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway was increased from 1 million to 5 million tons. At the same time, the second stage of expansion began with the aim of increasing the annual capacity of the Baku International Sea Trade Port, located at the intersection of the country's main railway and road networks, from 15 million to 25 million tons. Azerbaijan has the largest merchant fleet on the Caspian Sea, as well as the largest cargo airline in the region. In May of this year, the 9th international airport of our country was opened in Lachin. Currently, the construction of a new international cargo airport continues in the Alat Free Economic Zone. This and a number of other factors have turned Azerbaijan into one of the international transport hubs," the Prime Minister added.

He emphasized that all these projects are part of the Middle Corridor, which has already proven itself as a reliable route connecting China and Central Asia with Europe. Thanks to their geographical location and modern transport infrastructure, Azerbaijan and Georgia occupy leading positions in the formation and development of this strategic transport corridor.

Stating that consistent and purposeful steps are being taken to expand infrastructure along the corridor, simplify transition processes, and build up transit capabilities, the Prime Minister noted that projects such as the modernization of ports and logistics centers, as well as the introduction of digital solutions, are clear examples of this cooperation.

As a result of the measures taken, the volume of transit cargo transportation along the Middle Corridor has increased by approximately 90% over the past three years, which indicates its efficiency and growing demand. At the same time, the time of cargo transportation along the corridor has significantly decreased.

It was mentioned that earlier this month, the railway operators of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan reached an agreement on introducing a unified long-term tariff for transportation along the Middle Corridor.

Confidence was expressed that joint efforts would contribute to the full realization of the transport and logistics potential of the region, an increase in trade turnover and investment flows, as well as the strengthening of economic ties in the Eurasian space.

In this context, the historical significance of the agreements reached between Azerbaijan and Armenia on the peace agenda was emphasized in terms of ensuring sustainable cooperation in the region.

"The opening of communications in the region