Tbilisi: Railway operators from Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan have reached a significant agreement to introduce a unified tariff for the Middle Corridor, announced Azerbaijan’s Prime Minister, Ali Asadov, during the 5th Tbilisi Silk Road Forum.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the Prime Minister emphasized the strategic importance of the Middle Corridor as a reliable route that links China and Central Asia with Europe. Azerbaijan and Georgia play leading roles in the development of this corridor, leveraging their geographical positions and advanced transport infrastructure. These efforts include expanding infrastructure, simplifying transit procedures, and enhancing transit capacity. Modernization projects, such as upgrading ports and logistics centers and implementing digital solutions, exemplify the cooperation among these nations.
The measures taken have led to a 90% increase in transit cargo volumes along the Middle Corridor over the past three years, highlighting its effectiveness and growing significance. Additionally, the transit time for cargo transportation along the corridor has been reduced to 15 days.
The focus of Azerbaijan and Georgia extends beyond physical infrastructure improvements to include the refinement of administrative and legal frameworks. Collaborations with international partners aim to establish a unified tariff policy, streamline customs and border procedures, and promote multimodal transportation. This commitment was further solidified with the recent agreement among railway operators from Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan to implement a single long-term tariff.
The agreement also includes joint actions to enhance port, railway, and logistics infrastructure, address existing bottlenecks, expand digitalization efforts, and boost the corridor’s throughput capacity. The joint initiatives are expected to unlock the transport and logistics potential of the region, increase trade turnover and investment flows, and strengthen economic connections across the Eurasian space.