ADB may support Azerbaijan in developing cross-border infrastructure

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the government of Azerbaijan are currently working toward developing cross-border infrastructure to avoid long queues, the head of the ADB Resident Mission in Azerbaijan, Sunniya Durrani-Jamal, said in response to a question from Report at a media briefing dedicated to the presentation of the April review of the Asian Development Outlook.

"We are currently working on cross-border infrastructure to avoid congestion. But this area of cooperation is still at the discussion stage with the government of Azerbaijan," the head of the ADB mission emphasized.

Durrani-Jamal noted that it is still too early to talk about the redistribution of global transport flows, and at present only temporary disruptions are being observed.

"But looking at it more broadly, judging by Azerbaijan's state strategy and investments, we see that the government is positioning the country as a logistics and transport hub. This is not only about the transportation of oil and gas through past investments in pipelines, but also about the development of electric power and, hopefully, digital connectivity. I believe this is a crucial part of the economic diversification strategy. In a word, we will go beyond the oil sector alone. As for how we provide support, in the past we have invested significantly in railway and road infrastructure, as well as directly in the development of railway tracks," she emphasized.

According to her, the ADB is now working jointly with the government with a primary focus on improving the efficiency of cooperation.

"We are investing heavily in digitalization and signaling systems on railways. The ADB hopes to do the same in other sectors as well. Thus, digitalization will become a key factor for transitioning from physical quality to improving operational quality," the head of the mission added.

Physical infrastructure, digitalization, and cross-border crossings are the areas where the ADB can provide support, Durrani-Jamal summarized.