The volume of transit transportation through Azerbaijan has increased more than 2.5 times during 2019-2024, Shahmar Movsumov, Head of the Department of Economic Affairs and Innovative Development Policy of the Presidential Administration and Assistant to the Azerbaijani President, stated at the Customs-Business Forum held in Baku, Report informs.
Movsumov noted that international transport corridors strengthen Azerbaijan's position as a transit country and create significant opportunities for business entities: "The increase in transit transportation is related to Azerbaijan's strengthening position in corridors such as North-South and Middle Corridor. Particularly, the efficiency of cargo transportation from China to Europe through the Middle Corridor has been increased, with transit time reduced to 8-10 days. These results have been achieved through consistent work in implementing electronic services. Operations that previously took days are now carried out within a few hours thanks to the use of the electronic customs system. These changes not only save time but also contribute to optimizing the work environment and making processes more transparent. There are possibilities further to reduce both transit time and declaration processing time. These opportunities should be explored and implemented by customs authorities and businesses."
According to Movsumov, constructive bilateral cooperation between the private sector and state institutions can only be achieved through dialogue. He emphasized that the development of relations between customs and business has reached new heights under President Ilham Aliyev's attention and it will continue this way: "More favorable conditions have been created for local and foreign investors in simplifying customs procedures, implementing electronic services, and eliminating bureaucratic barriers. These reforms strengthen our economy and enable Azerbaijan to become a significant player in the global value chain."