Turkey's Strategic Railway: Bridging Nations for Peace and Prosperity
Turkey has begun constructing a railway linking its Kars province to Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan. Aimed at enhancing regional cooperation and economic ties, this project stems from a recent Azerbaijan-Armenia peace deal. The railway will play a key role in trade across the Southern Caucasus, supported by significant international financing.
- Country:
- Turkey
Turkey inaugurated construction on a pivotal railway connecting its northeastern Kars province to Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan exclave, aiming to leverage a U.S.-brokered peace agreement sealed this month between Azerbaijan and Armenia. This railway will integrate with the Southern Caucasus transit corridor, for which the U.S. has secured exclusive developmental rights.
The new railway, dubbed the 'Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity,' took center stage due to initial confrontations in peace negotiations. Stretching 224 kilometers (140 miles), it will bridge Turkey's Dilucu border with Nakhchivan and link to Azerbaijan's primary rail line in Kars, as announced by Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu during the groundbreaking ceremony.
Boasting a capacity to ferry 5.5 million passengers and transport 15 million metric tons of cargo annually, this corridor is poised to bolster economic collaboration between Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia while enhancing regional tranquility. Uraloglu emphasized its potential to open borders and normalize Southern Caucasus diplomatic relations. Furthermore, the venture is backed by 2.4 billion euros ($2.8 billion) in green financing, including contributions from Japan's MUFG Bank and units of the Islamic Development Bank.
(With inputs from agencies.)
- READ MORE ON:
- Turkey
- Azerbaijan
- railway
- Kars
- Nakhchivan
- peace deal
- regional cooperation
- trade
- cargo
- green financing
Google News