(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, November 15.​ The Zangezur Corridor opens up new opportunities for Central Asian countries and the South Caucasus by expanding the transit potential of the Middle Corridor, said Nargiza Umarova, a senior research fellow at the Institute for Advanced International Studies (IAIS) at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy (UWED) and an analyst at the non-state scientific institution“Bilim karvoni”, Trend 's special correspondent reports.

Speaking to journalists in Tashkent, Umarova stated that the corridor is an excellent opportunity for these countries, because Central Asia and the South Caucasus are moving forward together to realize their transit potential.

"This will expand the capacity of the Middle Corridor,” she said.

Analyst noted that new routes will help distribute cargo flows, which is particularly important given the heavy load on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and the ports of the Caspian and Black Seas.

“Cargo flows will be redistributed here, and a very large share can be handled by the countries located along the Middle Corridor. Central Asia is also doing a great deal to expand this potential,” she emphasized.

She also highlighted the significance of the project for Uzbekistan.

“For Uzbekistan, a key issue is reducing the delivery time for goods headed to promising markets, including the European Union. The Zangezur Corridor makes it possible to shorten this route, and this is a crucial factor for Uzbekistan,” she said.

The expert recalled that the project aligns with the country's transport sector development strategy.

“It is even outlined in our transport development concept through the year 2030, where we set the goal of strengthening our transit potential, doubling transit volumes across Uzbekistan, and reducing transportation costs,” she added.

Nargiza Umarova stressed that Tashkent strongly supports the initiative.

“It is no coincidence that Uzbekistan was among the first to publicly support this initiative, in various formats, at consultative meetings, at SCO summits, and at summits of the Organization of Turkic States. As always, Uzbekistan firmly stands for the opening of the Zangezur Corridor,” she concluded.

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