TRACECA and Azerbaijan discuss international trade corridors

up to 2026. A. A. Assavbayev, Secretary General, informed about the status of the work carried out by the Permanent Secretariat for the first half of 2021, by identifying the outcomes of the TRACECA basic events and activities, as well as – the scheduled plans.“Practical implementation of TRACECA initiatives aimed at digitalization of the corridor, introduction of electronic transport documents, development of container traffic, improvement of border crossing procedures, harmonization of requirements for road vehicles and other areas will contribute to an increase in the efficiency of transportation along the ITC TRACECA” – noted A. Assavbaev.Among the main points of discussion on the Agenda, which serve as a starting point for increasing the competitiveness of routes, digitalizing the corridor and liberalizing transportation – the Single Transit Permit (ETP), the Concept for the Development of Container Transport until 2030, and other issues.The meeting participants also discussed the advantages and possibilities of further development of container service along the TRACECA corridor. Noting the great unrealized potential, the parties came to a common opinion on the need to further deepen the integration between the railway and maritime administrations on the example of international alliances, which will make it possible to efficiently manage the transportation process, meeting the modern needs of the container market.During the discussion with the Minister of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Secretary General stressed that the TRACECA countries need further implementation of regional technical assistance projects to ensure the harmonized development of transport in the TRACECA region.In this regard, the assistance of the Chairman of the IGC and the member states of the MLA TRACECA in a number of priority issues, expanding the geography of activities and cooperation to strengthen bilateral transport dialogue with sectoral structures of the EU, PRC, and other potentially interested organizations is of particular importance.Mr. Jabbarov, in turn, supported the initiatives and priority areas of the Permanent Secretariat in order to realize economic and transport opportunities, taking into account new communication lines in the region.In addition, for his part, the Minister announced his readiness to take appropriate measures to support the activities of the international transport corridor Europe-the Caucasus-Asia TRACECA, which is necessary both at the regional and international levels.Following the meeting, the Secretary General informed the Chairman of the IGC about the readiness of the Bulgarian Party to hold the next meeting of the IGC in October 2021.It should be noted that the international transport corridor Europe-the Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA) includes the transport system of 13 MLA member states, as well as observer states in the IGC TRACECA, united by the idea of further development of international transport in the East-West direction. TRACECA is an internationally recognized programme aimed at strengthening of economic relations, trade and transport communication in the regions of the Black Sea basin, South Caucasus and Central Asia based on political will and common aspirations of all member-states. In September 1998 at the historic Summit in Baku, 12 TRACECA countries signed the “Basic Multilateral Agreement on International Transport for Development of the Europe-the Caucasus-Asia Corridor” (MLA) with the aim of implementing in full of their geopolitical and economic potentials. In 2009, the Islamic Republic of Iran joined TRACECA. Today, the TRACECA route comprises the transport system of the 13 member-states of the “Basic Multilateral Agreement on International Transport for Development of the Europe-the Caucasus-Asia Corridor” (MLA TRACECA): Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Romania, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Source: TRACECA