Ilham Aliyev: Predictable ties with neighbors key to Azerbaijan's transit development

Good and predictable relations with neighboring countries have become one of the conditions for Azerbaijan's development as a transit country, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at the 2nd Azerbaijan International Investment Forum in Baku, Report informs.

"We needed to have good relations with our neighbors and the neighbors of our neighbors. Otherwise, being a landlocked country, no matter how hard we tried, it would have been impossible to succeed," the head of state said.

According to him, Azerbaijan's relations with all its neighbors are clear today and, more importantly, predictable.

Aliyev noted that to develop transit transportation, the country first needed to create physical infrastructure. Azerbaijan invested significant funds in railways and roads, seaports and air cargo transportation. Currently, 60% of the railways are electrified, and this work is continuing. The country has railway connections with all its neighbors, as well as a developed domestic network.

According to the president, Azerbaijan created the necessary conditions in advance for shippers to choose routes through its territory. This included both physical infrastructure and administrative conditions for multimodal transportation involving the use of ferries.

"This work was carried out even before the current geopolitical changes. Five years ago, it was difficult even to imagine the disruption of traditional supply chains," the Azerbaijani president said.