Azernews.Az

By Leman Mammadova

Azerbaijan and Ukraine are located on major transport corridors, which are of huge political, economic and strategic importance.

As key links between Europe and Asia, the two countries participate in a number of transport and logistics projects. Both countries are ready to use all opportunities to significantly increase the volume of cargo transit through their territories.

Viktor Dovgan, Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Infrastructure for European Integration, has recently been on a visit to Azerbaijan, during which he met with Elmir Velizade, Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Transport, Communication and High Technologies, Sahib Mammadov, Deputy Minister of Economy, and Akif Mustafayev, Azerbaijan’s National Secretary in the Intergovernmental Commission TRACECA (Europe-Caucasus-Asia Transport Corridor).

At the meeting with Velizade, the sides discussed the prospects for enhancing bilateral cooperation in the field of transport, in particular, joint steps to realize the transit potential of the two countries within organization of transportation along the Europe-Caucasus-Asia corridor (TRACEСA), attracting additional cargo flows, and increasing the competitiveness of TRACECA.

Dovgan also expressed interest in increasing the number of regular flights between the two countries.

Later, at the meeting with Sahib Mammadov, he discussed the development of economic cooperation, in particular the strengthening of ties in the field of transport, as well as further simplification of passenger and cargo transportation, including within the framework of the TRACECA international corridor.

At the meeting with Akif Mustafayev, Dovgan discussed the possibilities of implementing new projects in the multilateral format of TRACECA. The sides exchanged views on the prospects for improving the effectiveness of this transport corridor.

The Europe-Caucasus-Asia Transport Corridor (TRACECA) is an international cooperation program in the field of transport between the EU and partner countries in Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia. The organization has a permanent secretariat in Baku.

The program was established at the Brussels conference on May 3, 1993, which was attended by the ministers of transport and trade of eight states – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia.

TRACECA is involved in gradually developing trends of trade and economic development. Major traffic flows passing through the corridor formed on the one hand, in Western and Central Europe, and on the other - in Central and South-East Asia.

So far, 76 projects have been implemented within TRACECA.

Azerbaijan’s revenues from the transportation of goods within the framework of the TRACECA in the first half of 2019 reached 311.63 million manats ($182.77 million). In addition, revenues from the transit of goods through this transport corridor amounted to 104.23 million manats ($61.13 million) in the reporting period.

The country’s revenues from passenger transportation along the corridor amounted to 70.89 million manats ($41.58 million). Within the first six months of this year, the volume of TRACECA cargo transportation through the territory of Azerbaijan amounted to 25.1 million tons.

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Leman Mammadova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888

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