Cargo transportation along the Middle Corridor through Azerbaijan has increased by 90 per cent over the past three years, highlighting the rapid expansion of Eurasian connectivity.

The figure was announced by Javlon Vakhabov, Director of the International Institute for Central Asia, during a panel discussion titled “Connectivity and Development: The Economic Dimension of C6 Cooperation and Sustainable Growth”, The Caspian Post reports via local media.

“I believe this is a landmark figure - something we did not observe before 2017,” Vakhabov noted.

Trade Between Baku and Tashkent Jumps

He also revealed that bilateral trade between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan rose by nearly 90 per cent in 2025 alone.

Vakhabov said that Azerbaijan has become the first country in the South Caucasus with which Uzbekistan has elevated relations to the level of an allied partnership. In this regard, Azerbaijan joins Russia and Kazakhstan as one of Uzbekistan’s top strategic partners.

Caspian Sea Turns from Barrier to Bridge

Meanwhile, Shiri Shiriyev, Director of the Center for Strategic Studies under Turkmenistan’s Foreign Ministry, stressed that the development of the Middle Corridor is transforming the Caspian Sea from a natural obstacle into a vital link in regional logistics.

Close coordination, he said, is revitalizing the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, which offers the shortest route through Türkiye to Europe.

Shiriyev added that Azerbaijan’s participation in the C5 format enables the creation of a more integrated and resilient regional system, where traditional hydrocarbon energy sources coexist with renewable energy projects - creating synergy not only for domestic needs but also for exports to external markets.