Deputy Minister Attends 8th New Silk Way Business Forum and 14th ECO Ministerial Meeting on Transport in Astana

The 8th New Silk Way Business Forum was held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Azerbaijan was represented at the Forum by a delegation led by Javid Gurbanov, Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport.

As part of the Forum, the Deputy Minister addressed a meeting of heads of delegations on “Synchronization of Actions, Institutionalization and Digitalization”, as well as a meeting of transport ministers from countries cooperating within the framework of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. He highlighted Azerbaijan’s strategic position along the East–West and North–South international transport corridors and the measures taken to strengthen regional connectivity. He also touched on the development of the Middle Corridor, the modernization of transport infrastructure, increasing the capacity of the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway, the implementation of the Zangazur Corridor, the expansion of the Baku International Sea Trade Port, and increasing freight transport capacity across the Caspian Sea.

The digitalization of transport and logistics processes was also highlighted in the address. The activities of Middle Corridor Multimodal Ltd., a joint venture established with the participation of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Georgia, as well as the initiative to develop a multilateral agreement on the Middle Corridor, were highlighted. Information was also provided on Azerbaijan’s national “Single Window” information system, which is designed to digitalize transport, logistics, import, export and transit operations.

Speaking at the 14th ECO Ministerial Meeting on Transport, Deputy Minister Javid Gurbanov emphasized Azerbaijan’s strong commitment to cooperation within the Organization. He stated that strengthening regional transport links and developing a sustainable transport system were among Azerbaijan’s key priorities.

The address highlighted the role of modern highways and logistics centres in the development of the country’s multimodal transport system. The Deputy Minister noted that the “Single Window” logistics platform, designed to digitalize transport and logistics processes, would facilitate the exchange of electronic permits for international road transport, the introduction of electronic consignment notes, and the expansion of electronic data exchange between railway administrations.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Astana Declaration and ECO Sustainable and Resilient Transport Strategy for 2026–2035 were adopted.