Trkiye: Trkiye is on the brink of becoming a pivotal player in global supply chains with the anticipated opening of the Zangezur transport corridor. This new route is designed to link western Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through Armenia, signaling a significant shift in regional connectivity.

According to Anadolu Agency, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan recently signed a joint declaration at the White House, facilitated by talks hosted by US President Donald Trump. The agreement outlines a 99-year deal focusing on the development of the corridor, ensuring Armenia's sovereignty while providing Azerbaijan full access to Nakhchivan.

This development is expected to present new opportunities for Trkiye to enhance its energy, transportation, and digital infrastructure. The corridor will feature railway lines, pipelines, and fiber optic networks, potentially reinforcing Trkiye's role as a regional energy and communications hub while reducing operational costs.

Bilgehan Engin, president of the Turkish Forwarding and Logistics Association (UTIKAD), described the corridor as a strategic move poised to reshape regional trade and geopolitical dynamics. "The Zangezur corridor has a chance to turn Trkiye into a logistics bridge between the east and the west," he told Anadolu, explaining that the route spans from China through the Caspian Sea, reaching Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Trkiye before extending to Europe.

Engin emphasized that the corridor could enhance the Middle Corridor trade route's efficiency and ease customs processes in Georgia. He highlighted the potential for direct land and rail connections to Central Asia, which would shorten transportation times and cut costs, thereby strengthening Trkiye's central position in Eurasia and fostering closer ties with Turkic nations.

Engin also noted potential geopolitical challenges, stating that US involvement in the corridor might impact China's trade security, while also potentially diminishing Russia's influence in the South Caucasus. He stressed the need for Trkiye to handle these developments with geopolitical and geo-economic sensitivity, maintaining strategic autonomy and balancing policies for regional stability.

Engin further suggested that aligning regional infrastructure, integrating digital customs systems, boosting Marmaray railway cargo capacity, and completing the railway link to the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge over the Istanbul Strait would cement Trkiye's status as an indispensable player in regional trade and global supply chains.