BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 15. Uzbekistan sees
Azerbaijan and the Port of Baku as a key link for its cargo along
the Middle Corridor, with freight volumes on the route doubling
over five years to 1.2 million tons in 2025, the Uzbek Foreign
Ministry told Trend
in an exclusive interview.
The ministry provided the assessment on the prospects for
developing regional transport and economic connectivity between
Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.
“Azerbaijan (the Port of Baku) is a key link of the Middle
Corridor for Uzbek cargo,” the ministry said.
According to the ministry, relations between Uzbekistan and
Azerbaijan, based on strategic partnership and alliance, are
gaining practical momentum. Bilateral trade has tripled over the
past five years, while the two countries have set a target of
increasing trade turnover to $1 billion by 2030.
A joint investment company with capital of $500 million is also
operating between the two countries, according to the ministry.
Uzbek cargo transportation along the Middle Corridor doubled
over five years and reached 1.2 million tons in 2025, the ministry
said.
The corridor’s share of Uzbekistan’s freight turnover with the
European Union has also increased significantly. While the Middle
Corridor accounted for 12% of Uzbekistan’s EU-bound freight
turnover in 2021, its share has now reached 28%, more than doubling
over the period.
“Priority areas of cooperation include the accelerated launch of
a joint fleet in the Caspian Sea, the integration of the
China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway with the Middle Corridor, and
further digitalization of transportation through e-Permit, e-CMR
and eTIR,” the ministry said.
In addition, the ministry highlighted Azerbaijan’s participation
in the Consultative Meetings of the Heads of State of Central
Asia.
According to the Uzbek side, Azerbaijan’s participation “creates
a basis for a unified transport space across the Eurasian
region.”
