On 16-17 November 2023, an international conference on “International Transport-Logistics Corridor: Development Impulses from Zangilan”  was held in the city of Zangilan and in Baku. The conference was jointly organised by the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan regions, which are part of the East Zangezur economic region, the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, the State Customs Committee and the Institute of Economics of the Ministry of Science and Education.

The aim of the conference was to organize discussions between the public, private and academic sectors on the development and expansion of transregional transport corridors and to establish cooperation among stakeholders.

Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev , Chairman of the State Customs Committee, lieutenant general of the customs service Shahin Baghirov, special representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan districts, which are part of the Eastern Zangezur economic region Vahid Hajiyev Kubanichbek Omuraliyev, Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States, Rahman Hummatov, Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport, and Natig Shirinov, Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee delivered opening speeches.  The speakers  emphasized  that the restoration of our territorial integrity as a result of the bravery of the invincible Azerbaijan army under the leadership of Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev led to great opportunities for the transport and logistics corridors passing through our country, and spoke about the importance of the conference and the role of international transport corridors in the development of trade and transit.

The conference featured panel discussions on several topics with participation of local and foreign government agencies, international organizations, international financial institutions, think tanks representatives, scientists and heads of international transport companies.

The two panel sessions of the two-day conference were organized within the framework of cooperation with the Academy of the State Customs Committee with the support of "bp-Azerbaijan" company.

On the second day of the conference, the panel session "Innovative customs for international transport corridors" was moderated by  the head of the Academy of the State Customs Committee, major general of customs service Gulu Novruzov.  In the panel session, researchers from Korea, Switzerland, North Macedonia, Russia and Azerbaijan conducted interesting discussions about the ways to increase the potential of the Middle Corridor and scientific research aimed at solving new challenges in the field of customs.

Novruzov took the floor and  noted that holding the first day of the conference  in the Zangilan area of ​​the Eastern Zangezur economic region will contribute to further development of the importance of this region in regional trade and transit transport.

The second panel on "Logistics policy design and implementation" was moderated by security and logistics expert Alparslan Imamgulu, invited by the Customs Academy.        Customs officers and scientists from China, Indonesia, Lithuania and Ukraine made presentations in the panel.

In the final session, opinions were exchanged on the results of the conference.