Pakistan Observer: Azerbaijan should attract investments as part of One Belt & One Road Initiative

The government of Azerbaijan should seek more and more investment from the Chinese companies and private sector under the flagship project of the Chinese One Belt & One Road Initiative (BRI) for the rapid “socio-economic uplift” and “robust infrastructure” development in Karabakh, reads an article by Pakistani analyst Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan in Pakistan Observer, Report informs.

The BRI has become a “permanent” platform for further strengthening of regional as well as trans-regional connectivity in the South Caucasus, Central Asia, South Asia, Middle East and Africa. In this regard, the role of Azerbaijan is “unique”, “integrated” and “coordinated” because of its positive, productive and participatory role in South Caucasus, Central Asia and Eurasian regions, according to the article.

“During all these years, Azerbaijan fully supported the good and principal cause of the Chinese Government and especially the BRI. In this connection, to further strengthen bilateral relations under the flagship project of BRI, it initiated numerous projects of national, regional as well as trans-regional “transport” and “infrastructure” including the opening of the “Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway” and the “Baku International Sea Trade Port” connecting to the Trans-Caspian transport route which is good omen for the Chinese BRI and materialization of greater Eurasian region.”

“Good thing is that the Chinese BRI includes the launch of the 'Zangezur Corridor' which will become an ideal link between various links on the route of the new Silk Road and provide the shortest and most convenient alternative route for transporting goods from China to the West. Azerbaijan, as an “important transit” connecting hub on the route of the BRI today plays a supportive role in cargo transportation between Asia and Europe.”

“According to the latest official figures (January 2023) more than 200 Chinese companies, registered in Azerbaijan, have been engaged in trade, agriculture, transport, communications and other important sectors. Serious negotiations are being carried out to establish an enterprise in Azerbaijan to assemble electric buses, hybrid and electric cars which would be value addition in bilateral ties of both the states. Chinese companies, businessmen, investors and the private sector are keen to make befitting propositions in the formation/building of industrial parks and agricultural parks in Azerbaijan.”

The government of Azerbaijan should seek more and more investment from the Chinese companies and private sector under the flagship project of the BRI for the rapid “socio-economic uplift” and “robust infrastructure” development in the newly liberated areas of Karabakh.

In this regard, the Government of Azerbaijan should encourage the Chinese companies to make investment in “green living”, “green energy production”, “hydro-power generation”, “smart living”, “production of renewables (solar & wind)”, “organic agriculture”, “cash crops”, “hybrid seeds”, “disaster management” and last but not least, joint ventures in combating “climate change” in these areas transforming it as the most attractive areas for inflows of FDIs, and FPIs in the days to come.