Rolande Pryce: World Bank and EU to develop Middle Corridor in 2026

In the 2026 fiscal year, the World Bank (WB) and the European Union (EU) plan to jointly advance high-level dialogue, bring together development partners to prioritize investments, develop joint financial instruments, and ensure coordination with accountability mechanisms specifically for the Middle Corridor, Rolande Pryce, World Bank Regional Director for the South Caucasus, said during the first Azerbaijan International Investment Forum (AIIF 2025).

"Our focus is on removing infrastructure bottlenecks, improving infrastructure efficiency, and implementing reforms across various sectors. Equally important is the development of institutional capacity and coordination," she noted.

Pryce emphasized that it is critically important for governments to invest in people.

"This is about creating jobs of the future. We need a workforce capable of meeting new demand, which requires investments in skills and education. We are building railways not for the sake of railways-they will transport goods and critical resources. At the same time, it is necessary to develop industry, agriculture, and the extraction of strategically important minerals to fully leverage the infrastructure being created," the regional director stated.