Baku: A Dutch intern at the Topchubashov Center has emphasized the strategic importance of the Middle Corridor for future development in the South Caucasus. The intern, Maurits Rodenberg, explained that cooperation between Azerbaijan, Trkiye, and Georgia is crucial in the context of current geopolitical tensions, as countries are actively seeking alternative trade routes. The Middle Corridor, which links China to Europe via Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Trkiye, is gaining attention as a viable option. Goods from China are expected to travel through Kazakhstan and the Caspian Sea into Azerbaijan, where they can be transported either through the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway into Europe or through Georgia’s Black Sea ports.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, Rodenberg noted that the Middle Corridor could draw new investments for infrastructure development in the South Caucasus. Given Azerbaijan’s significant role in oil and gas extraction, Georgia and Trkiye could serve as gateways to Europe, thereby boosting Azerbaijani trade and energy exports to European nations. By collaborating effectively, the South Caucasus could integrate into global trade and energy networks, offering a transit route for Eurasian trade that bypasses Russia and Iran.