Russia and Azerbaijan expand co-operation within the North-South corridor

On 21 December, Russian Transport Minister Roman Starovoit met with Azerbaijani Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev at the Russian Ministry of Transport.

The ministers, in the presence of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev, signed an agreement between the governments of Russia and Azerbaijan on co-operation on the development of transit freight traffic along the North-South transport corridor.

"Our infrastructure projects are aimed at transporting 15 million tonnes. In general, the railway to the port of Bandar Abbas will create economic conditions for intensive development of the entire corridor," Vitaly Savelyev stressed.

The agreements will create a mechanism to coordinate the development of railway freight traffic and infrastructure on the western route of the North-South ITC.

Last year the reconstruction of the Yarag-Kazmalyar road border crossing point was completed. After the modernisation of Tagirkent-Kazmalyar and Novo-Filya checkpoints, the total throughput capacity on the Russian side will increase to 3,000 per day.

From 25 December, an electronic queue for trucks will start operating at Tagirkent-Kazmalyar.