The political reconciliation between Armenia and Azerbaijan is transforming the transport landscape in the mountainous Caucasus region. Whereas the two countries would not allow transit (rail) freight to, through and from one another until very recently, now transport networks are opening up with new opportunities for trade.
In August, Armenia and Azerbaijan joined American President Donald Trump in the White House to conclude an agreement to settle the hostile relationship between the two countries. Part of the deal is the creation of the TRIPP corridor, which will link Azerbaijani exclave Nakhchivan to the country’s biggest landmass through Armenian territory via rail.
RailFreight.com has highlighted that such a railway could add more capacity to the Middle Corridor, which now only features one route through the Caucasus region. However, the transport landscape is now changing beyond just that: Azerbaijan is allowing freight destined for Armenia to transit its territory. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that the development would have been “unthinkable” just a few months earlier.
The first such shipment was announced to be Kazakh grain, which would find its way to Armenia through Azerbaijan. More countries are jumping on the opportunity, among which is Russia.
Russia and Türkiye
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk said that Russian Railways is currently negotiating the transit of Russian goods through Azerbaijan to Armenia. “The Azerbaijani side has confirmed to us the possibility of using Azerbaijani railways for the transit of Russian products through Azerbaijan to Armenia. In this regard, we have made some very interesting progress”, Overchuk explained.
Earlier, Armenia announced that it was looking at a possible reopening of the Kars-Gyumri railway, which would be the only rail connection to Türkiye.
New doors are opening for both Armenia and Azerbaijan. For the latter, the recent political steps will shorten transportation routes to its exclave Nakhchivan and key ally Türkiye. For landlocked Armenia, they will expand its trade route options beyond the land borders with Iran and Georgia. If all goes according to plan, Turkish and Azerbaijani infrastructure will double the country’s options and improve its trade potential.