Addressing participants of the First Azerbaijan International Investment Forum, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev underlined the country’s growing importance as a strategic hub in regional and global economic policy.
“The favorable geographic location of Azerbaijan makes our country a strategic hub of regional economic policy,” Aliyev stated, emphasizing that the transit volume of goods through the Middle Corridor is rising each year and will further increase with the commissioning of the Zangezur Corridor. According to him, modern infrastructure – including the Baku International Trade Sea Port, the Alat Free Economic Zone, and a modern railway network – ensures direct access to global markets and high transit efficiency, while special economic zones and digital infrastructure create platforms for logistics, renewable energy, digital services, and advanced agriculture.
Highlighting the historical dimension of Azerbaijan’s economic success, Aliyev referred to the “Contract of the Century” signed under the leadership of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, which laid the foundation for major transnational projects and logistical hubs stretching from Asia to Europe.
The President stressed that securing the country’s territorial integrity has created conditions for lasting peace, stability, and sustainable development in the region. Today, Azerbaijan actively employs economic diplomacy to foster new partnerships and expand non-oil sectors, including tourism.
Aliyev also noted the vital role of energy policy in shaping Azerbaijan’s international standing: “In addition to natural gas, solar and wind energy projects, the green energy zones in Karabakh and East Zangezur, along with smart infrastructure concepts, are turning our country into one of the leading participants of the global energy transition. Thus, Azerbaijan is fostering today’s energy security while building the green economy of tomorrow.”
