BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 12. Nakhchivan,
Karabakh, and East Zangezur are becoming a single development space
in Azerbaijan, political analyst Azer Garayev told Trend.


He said that President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev's visit to
Nakhchivan is of great political, economic, and strategic
importance.


According to him, the events held within the framework of the
visit and the interview given by the Head of State to Azerbaijan
Television show that a new stage in the development of Nakhchivan
is beginning.


"At this stage, the main focus is on accelerating economic
development, expanding energy and transport capabilities,
developing industry, and transforming Nakhchivan into a regional
center, along with security," he also said.


Garayev pointed out that one of the issues that attracted the
most attention during President Ilham Aliyev's visit was the
Zangezur corridor.


"This project is intended not only as a transport line
connecting Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan, but also as a broader
regional communication system. In addition to the railway and
highway, the creation of electrical and fiber-optic lines will
increase the economic and strategic importance of the region. The
plan to restore the Nakhchivan railway and increase its
cargo-carrying capacity to 15 million tons in the future is of
particular importance in terms of turning the autonomous republic
into an important transit center," the analyst explained.


He noted that energy security is also one of the main directions
of the visit.


"Laying the foundation of a 300-megawatt thermal power plant in
Nakhchivan, the creation of solar and hydroelectric power plants
will further strengthen the energy supply of the region.


As President Ilham Aliyev announced, Nakhchivan has a huge solar
energy potential, and in the future it may be able to produce up to
500 or even 1,000 megawatts of electricity. This could create
conditions for Nakhchivan to become not only an energy-consuming
region, but also an energy-exporting region in the future.


The establishment of the Industrial Park is also one of the
important results of the visit. The launch of the Nakhchivan
Industrial Park will allow for the establishment of new
enterprises, attracting investments and creating new jobs. At the
same time, the interest of foreign investors in Nakhchivan's energy
and other economic projects indicates that the region's investment
opportunities are increasing," Garayev mentioned.


He noted that the development of Nakhchivan's agriculture is
also in the spotlight.


"Renewal of irrigation systems, drilling of artesian wells, and
putting into use newly irrigated lands can give impetus to the
development of the agricultural sector. These measures will create
conditions for both increasing employment in rural areas and
expanding local production.


Important decisions were also announced during the visit
regarding the development of social and transport infrastructure.
The commissioning of new electric buses, the purchase of 217 modern
inter-district buses, the construction and major repair of
approximately 420 kilometers of roads, and the construction and
repair of kindergartens are aimed at improving the living
conditions of the population. The activities of DOST and ASAN
services serve to provide public services in a more accessible and
modern form," Garayev announced.


The analyst emphasized that the preservation of the rich
historical and cultural heritage of Nakhchivan was also one of the
important directions of the visit.


"The restoration of the Momina Khatun mausoleum, the erection of
the monument to Ajami Nakhchivani, and the preservation of other
historical monuments are of great importance in terms of conveying
the cultural potential of Nakhchivan to future generations. This
heritage also creates an important opportunity for the development
of tourism. The implementation of new hotel projects can also
create conditions for more efficient use of the tourism potential
of Nakhchivan," he also said.


According to Garayev, during President Ilham Aliyev's visit, the
development of Nakhchivan within the framework of a unified
development concept with Karabakh and East Zangezur was also
emphasized.


"This approach involves coordinating infrastructure, green
energy, urban development, and governance in these areas. The
opening of the Zangezur corridor could allow for further expansion
of economic and transport ties between these regions. In general,
President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Nakhchivan shows that the future
development of the autonomous republic is not limited to the
implementation of social projects at the expense of state
investments. The main goal is to turn Nakhchivan into a regional
economic center that uses transport, energy, industry, agriculture,
and tourism opportunities. The implementation of the Zangezur
corridor could be one of the main pillars of this strategy. Thus,
the geographical position of Nakhchivan will become its strategic
and economic advantage in the future, rather than a factor of
isolation," he added.