For Azerbaijan, connectivity is not just about lines on a map; it is a strategic choice that shapes the country's future.
Modern.az reports that this was stated by Rashad Nabiyev, Minister of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan, at a special session on "Cities at the Center of Connectivity: Urban Reconstruction and Regional Cooperation" within the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) held in Baku.
"Every road, railway, and logistics infrastructure we build today defines our future economic development model. Azerbaijan is located at the crossroads of Eurasia, and since 2021, under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, significant steps have been taken to ensure that transit routes do not bypass our country. As a result, transit transportation has almost doubled. Last year, approximately 17 million tons of cargo were transported across Eurasia."
According to the Minister, the Caspian Sea, railways, and port infrastructure allow cargo from Central Asia and China to reach the Turkish border within 15-18 days:
"New economic zones and residential areas are forming around logistics centers: "This raises the main question: what kind of cities are we building and how do we see them in the long term?"
R. Nabiyev also touched upon transport transformation in Baku in his speech.
"The main goal was to ensure that citizens switch from private cars and taxis to public transport. At one time, approximately 57,000 taxis operated in Baku. Today, their number has decreased to 20,000. However, no social problem has arisen. Because the process was managed intelligently. Previously, some taxi drivers worked up to 24 hours a day, which posed a danger to passengers. Now their working hours have normalized and the quality of service has increased," he added.
He also emphasized that urban mobility should not be limited to roads:
"Expanding opportunities for bicycles, scooters, and pedestrians is also one of the main directions affecting the quality of urban life, the environment, and the reduction of carbon emissions."
R. Nabiyev noted that one of the main goals for Baku is to transform the city from a single-center model to multi-center development.
"The goal is for people to be able to reach schools, workplaces, healthcare, and cultural facilities in a shorter time.
For many years, there was a belief in society that more roads needed to be built to solve the traffic jam problem. But world experience shows that building more roads does not eliminate congestion on the streets. Roads should feed the bus network, buses should feed the railway, and the railway should feed the metro. Each layer of transport should strengthen the other," he said.
