Credits: Ruptly
BAKU, Turkey, Dec. 1
Trend:
The implementation of a number of important infrastructure projects in the Azerbaijani territories liberated from the Armenian occupation was launched immediately after the restoration of the country’s territorial integrity by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces under the leadership of victorious Supreme Commander Ilham Aliyev, Trend reports referring to Azertag.
One of such projects is the reconstruction of the Horadiz-Agbend railway line.
The Horadiz-Agbend railway line, which has both strategic and economic importance for Azerbaijan, is an integral part of the Zangazur corridor.
As a result of the project implementation, direct routes with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and Turkey will be built, Azerbaijan’s geo-economic importance will more increase.
The railway will be of great importance both for the movement of citizens and for the transportation of goods to the liberated Azerbaijani lands.
The most important thing is that the Turkic world will be reunited through the Zangazur corridor after many years. The opening of the Zangazur corridor will affect the economy of the region, as well as the Turkic-speaking countries, and will increase the importance of the East-West and North-South transport corridors.
The Horadiz-Agbend railway line was destroyed in 1993 after the occupation of Azerbaijani lands by the Armenian armed forces.
The final stop of the trains was the Horadiz station of the Fuzuli district during 27 years. But this railway will also be opened thanks to Azerbaijan’s victory over Armenia. At present, the railway line from Horadiz to Agbend settlement of Zangilan district is being rebuilt.
The length of the Horadiz-Agbend railway line, the foundation of which was laid by President Ilham Aliyev on February 14, 2021, is 110.4 kilometers.
The single-track railway will consist of eight stations and more than 300 artificial engineering structures are planned to be built within the project.
Along with the Horadiz station, seven more stations, namely, Marjanli, Mahmudlu, Soltanli, Gumlag, Minjivan, Bartaz and Agbend, will be completely rebuilt.
The railway line as a whole has been brought up to a topographic plan with the help of a drone. A conceptual plan has been prepared.
At present, the roadbed, as well as artificial structures are being built on the 40-kilometer-section cleared of mines.
The subgrade has been prepared, rock stones and gravel materials have been filled in on the 21-kilometer section.
The rails have been laid on the three-kilometer section. At the same time, artificial structures, including bridges and reinforced concrete pipes, are being built.
The reconstruction of the Horadiz-Agbend railway line is planned to be completed by the end of 2022. The construction of the Horadiz-Agbend railway, which has global strategic importance, will greatly contribute to the economic potential of liberated Azerbaijani territories.
By Orkhan Amashov
After a period of aggravated tensions and a series of regrettable episodes that should have been avoided, Azerbaijani-Iranian relations have entered a new age of rapprochement.
It is evident that the worst is now behind. Iran was one of the 10 signatories of the final declaration of the 15th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) which, amongst many other clauses, incorporated a congratulatory part dedicated to Azerbaijan’s victory in last year’s war and the restoration of its territorial integrity. On top of that, a new gas swap deal was signed by Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Iran, which is perceived as another indication that the recent political rupture has been left behind.
No room for resentfulness
Iran’s recognition of Azerbaijani territorial integrity is not new. On a diplomatic level, at least, in terms of pure rhetoric, Tehran has consistently supported Baku on Karabakh throughout the 30 years of the protracted conflict, but those in the habit of taking any Iranian asseveration with a pinch of salt have always been wary of its sincerity and, if one is allowed to add, rightly so. As we know today, during the illegal occupation, certain business circles within Iran, possibly sanctioned by the official authorities in one way or another, made the best use of the lack of Azerbaijani control in the region to the detriment of far more important gains.
During the 44-day war, Iran maintained a supportive diplomatic tone, yet things went “slightly” awry afterwards. The crisis, prompted by the perfectly lawful arrest of two Iranian truck drivers by the Azerbaijani authorities, led to mutual accusations, and to a sufficient degree of reciprocal mistrust, which temporarily rendered any move in the direction of rapprochement impossible.
Yet the implications of the new geopolitical reality that emerged after the Second Karabakh War have proven to be too consequential to be ignored, even by such a resistant heavyweight as Iran. Victors are to be reckoned with and, thanks to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s suitably uncompromising stance, when such a course of action was justified, through carefully measured moves, Iran now seems to have finally come to terms with the present reality. Just after a month of sabre-rattling and some unprecedented war games near the Azerbaijani border, Tehran showed, in the most demonstrative manner, that it is willing to open a new chapter in its relations with Baku.
External culprit
During his meeting with President Aliyev on the sidelines of the Ashgabad summit, Iranian leader Ebrahim Raisi made a subtle and vague point about a hypothetical foreign intervention aimed at negatively impacting Azerbaijani-Iranian relations. Whatever that unmentioned force may be in Iranian parlance, many observers would agree that if there is one player that is genuinely troubled with the normalisation of the relations between Baku and Tehran, and that is Armenia.
There is a clear sense in Yerevan that, in light of the dissatisfaction with the country’s main strategic ally, Russia, which did not provide the anticipated support during last year’s war, all avenues must be explored so as to ensure there remain constant frictions in Azerbaijani-Iranian relations. That perhaps explains why various circles in Armenia were jubilant when Tehran and Baku were exchanging mutual accusations, and, in the same vein, one can understand the reason substantiating the present Armenian disgruntlement.
Trilateral deal
The most visible manifestation of the aforementioned rapprochement is a trilateral agreement on a gas supply swap signed by Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Iran. Under the new deal, 1.5 to 2 billion cubic metres of gas will be annually sent from Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan through Iran. Given the trajectory and its final destination, the scheme is also important for the diversification of Europe’s energy supply.
President Aliyev called the document “historic” and expressed his hope that it would further deepen economic relations between the countries. President Raisi, in the best traditions of Iranian diplomacy, in a manner duly emollient, said that the relations between Iran and Azerbaijan “are not only neighbourly relations but are the relations of the hearts”. One may perhaps infer that when mighty economic considerations happen to be of a prevailing nature, “hearts” tend to follow.
Experts concur that the current trade turnover between Iran and Azerbaijan does not reflect the actual economic potential of Azerbaijani-Iranian relations, which is massive, and needless to say, far beyond the opportunities offered by the trilateral deal in question. Baku, if things go in the right direction, may play a significant role in fulfilling the energy needs of Iran’s northern provinces. Tehran, in light of the Western sanctions and subsequent isolation, has found itself under the task of forming a resistive economy and developed some capacity for “import substitution”. Azerbaijan does not share the same predicament, but some believe, in view of not being immune to worldwide inflation and the importation of goods, the prices of which are inflated, Baku may also find it beneficial to learn from its southern neighbour’s experience.
On a different note, Iran, despite its original resentment, no longer seems opposed to the concept of the Zangazur corridor, to which President Aliyev made numerous references in Ashgabat. Matthew Bryza, a former U.S. diplomat, believes the gas swap deal could give another layer of practicality to the corridor plan and bring Tehran closer to accepting its implementation. The diplomat conjectured that by means of ensuring that gas moves along the route in question, it may be possible to “build industrial zones along that road that could facilitate the use of the natural gas for petrochemicals production”.
To conclude, if to recapitulate what has been said, it behoves a rational man of cold reason to appreciate that politics, particularly in the realm of foreign policy, is not a place for romanticism and emotional expectations. Azerbaijan and Iran are neighbours and destined to remain so. Once guided by economic and political considerations based on the mutual interests of the sides, bilateral ties tend to flourish and let us hope that this will be the case in the example of Azerbaijani-Iranian relations for some considerable time to come.
By Vugar Khalilov
Azerbaijan is speedily reconstructing roads on its territories liberated from Armenia’s occupation in 2020, the State Agency of Azerbaijan Automobile Roads reported on December 1.
The construction of the Shukurbayli-Jabrayil-Hadrut highway, which is one of the road infrastructure projects implemented in the Karabakh and East Zangazur economic regions, is underway, the report added.
The 39.7-km-long Shukurbayli-Jabrayil-Hadrut highway starts from the part of the Hajigabul-Minjivan-Zangazur corridor passing through Shukurbayli village of Jabrayil region and extends to Hadrut settlement of Khojavand region.
The four-lane (14m wide) highway is being constructed in line with the first technical category under the Karabakh region’s development plan.
The state agency noted that local companies, which are specialized in road construction, have been involved in the project to complete the work in a short time.
It was added that earthworks and construction of other facilities have already been completed on the first 11-km part of the highway. Moreover, in the first 3-km part of the way, a new roadbed was built, the road was profiled and a smooth asphalt-concrete pavement was laid. Currently, the bottom layer of the asphalt-concrete cover is being laid.
In the 3rd and 5th km section, the road was widened, the bottom and top layers of the foundation were built, and other construction work is being carried out in line with the technological order.
To ensure the transfer of water along the road, 38 circular pipes and seven rectangular water crossings, as well as 11 underpasses are being built to reduce the negative impact of the road on the environment, including fauna. The construction of 12 circular pipes and five underpasses was completed.
In general, the road is being widened and profiled and the construction of a 21.5m-wide roadbed is being carried out in line with the first technical level.
The construction of six road bridges is underway on the 1, 18, 19, 26, 30 and 38 km sections of the Shukurbayli-Jabrayil-Hadrut highway. One of the bridges is designed at the intersection of the Hajigabul-Minjivan-Zangazur corridor with the highway. This will facilitate access between the highways.
Rocks are being cut and a roadbed is being built by blasting the mountains in certain parts to obtain the project width of the road passing through the difficult terrain.
The construction is being carried out under the direct supervision of the Azerbaijan State Agency of Automobile Roads under the Construction Norms and Rules.
The Shukurbayli-Jabrayil-Hadrut highway passes through liberated Khojavand, Fuzuli and Jabrayil regions. The highway will cover about 20 settlements in the region, including Hadrut settlement and Jabrayil city.
In all, Azerbaijan allocated AZN 2.2bn ($1.3bn) for the reconstruction of the liberated territories in 2021. In particular, these funds will be used to restore the infrastructure (electricity, gas, water, communications, roads, education, health, etc), as well as cultural and historical monuments.
Azerbaijan liberated 300 city centers, settlements, villages, and the historic Shusha city in the war that lasted from September 27 to November 10. The Russian-brokered peace deal also stipulated the return of Kalbajar, Lachin and Aghdam regions occupied by the Armenian forces in the war in the early 1990s.
The Dilucu border gate between Nakhchivan and Turkey, in Iğdır, Turkey, May 21, 2017. (Shutterstock)
When the Nakhchivan corridor opens, Turkey’s transportation to both Azerbaijan and other markets in the Caucasus, as well as the Turkic republics, will be facilitated through the Caspian country, allowing Ankara to trade much more comfortably with Baku, according to Turkish businesspeople.
Mehmet Hilmi Kağnıcı, head of the Konya province branch of the Independent Industrialists and Businesspersons Association (MÜSIAD), one of the top business associations in Turkey, made the statements while speaking on Turkey’s trade with Azerbaijan.
Kağnıcı reiterated that MÜSIAD organized the 25th International Business Forum (IBF) in Baku this year with a delegation of 33 people and over 500 businesspeople from the country.
Stating that they had the opportunity to meet with businesspeople from MÜSIAD and the business world from other Islamic countries at the forum, Kağnıcı said that he had paid a visit to Azerbaijan three years ago, and this time had the opportunity to make a better comparison.
The interest in doing business with Turkey had grown further and that the trade volume between the two countries could increase exponentially, he said.
“Azerbaijan is a country with very serious potential for us. The main reason why our trade or exports with Azerbaijan are at low levels at the moment is the lack of a direct road line between us. If the Nakhchivan corridor is opened, we can reach both Azerbaijan and other markets in the Caucasus via Azerbaijan and our access to the Turkic republics will be easier. This corridor will enable us to do much more comfortable and advantageous trade,” Kağnıcı said.
The opening of the long-shut Nakhchivan corridor between Azerbaijan and its southwestern autonomous exclave bordering Turkey came after 44 days of clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region that ended with a Russian-brokered cease-fire in November 2020.
Following the war in the Armenian-occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region that resulted in Azerbaijan’s victory, Baku and Yerevan signed an agreement on Nov. 10 that allows Azerbaijan to create the corridor.
The transit route that will connect Azerbaijan and the enclave, located around 450 kilometers (279.62 miles) west of Baku and surrounded by Turkey, Iran and Armenia, was described by Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev as a “historic achievement.”
The Turkish businessperson, saying that there is very strong political infrastructure for economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey, noted that “both the Azerbaijani government officials and the people of Azerbaijan are very eager to increase the trade volume with Turkey.”
Defense industry ties and political relations are already strong, Kağnıcı said, and now businesspeople need to participate in the region.
“In terms of industrial development, we are more advanced than them. We must contribute to the development of our brotherly nation by contributing the know-how we have,” he said.
Stating that many businesspeople from Konya operating in different sectors such as metal, shoemaking, durable household goods, textiles, agricultural machinery, agricultural products and the construction sector participated in the forum at the beginning of the November, Kağnıcı said that they will also soon host a delegation coming from Azerbaijan.
The IBF was held this year under the motto “Azerbaijan, the pearl of Asia,” and was organized by MÜSIAD with the cooperation of a local partner, the Small and Medium Business Development Agency of Azerbaijan (KOBIA), and with the support of trade ministries and institutions from both countries. The 25th edition of the event focused on Azerbaijan’s potential in several sectors, including tourism, agriculture, energy and health. In addition to some 550 Turkish businesses and members of industry, it brought together distinguished entrepreneurs from Canada, Europe, the United States, the Middle East, Russia and North Africa.
“Home is Calling” poster
LOS ANGELES—Children of Armenia Fund announced that its virtual/televised annual fundraiser on December 11 will focus on plans to build a second SMART Center in Armenia. The state-of-the-art education hub will be constructed in the Armavir region where COAF first launched its critical work 18 years ago. This will be the second consecutive year COAF will have its annual fundraiser online and televised. The organization’s signature in-person New York City Holiday Gala is once again being postponed due to the pandemic.
COAF’s “Home Is Calling” benefit will make the construction of a new $7 million-dollar SMART Center in the Armavir region a reality for thousands of people. The hub will be the second of its kind, following COAF’s flagship SMART Center in the Lori region where over 2,000 students are offered 18 multidisciplinary after-school programs. COAF has made significant progress already: the SMART Ecosystem in Lori has brought young people together at the SMART Center to study engineering, athletics, arts, music, languages, and entrepreneurship.
The cornerstone of COAF’s mission over the past 18 years has been to combat lasting inequity by bringing community-based holistic education, healthcare, social services, and economic development programs to children, youth, and families across villages in Armenia. The approach has empowered rural Armenians to revitalize their communities and to realize their own potential to thrive and contribute to the advancement of the world around them. This has been essential to the process of nation-building, providing equal opportunities to those who need them most.
COAF SMART Center in Lori region
COAF’s story began 18 years ago with a large-scale school renovation in the village of Karakert and continued with over 100 public infrastructure improvement projects across 60 rural communities throughout 5 regions in Armenia. This enormous effort included cutting-edge programs in education, healthcare, social services, and economic development. All of COAF’s administrative expenses have been underwritten by its founder/chairman Dr. Garo Armen, allowing for each and every dollar donated to be allocated to programs and projects.
Embracing the spirit of homecoming that the holiday season embodies, the organization is returning home to Armavir and after almost two decades of experience in rural advancement to replicate the success of its SMART initiative in Lori. Armenia’s recent setbacks have demonstrated that there is much to be done in terms of buttressing the country and reassuring its children that the Diaspora remains committed to them. COAF’s steadfast commitment to rural Armenia’s development during these uncertain times is stronger than ever.
This year’s fundraiser will be hosted by recurring emcees Araksya Karapetyan of KTTV FOX 11’s Good Day L.A., world-renowned auctioneer Gabriel Butu, COAF Head of Development Haig Boyadjian, with special guest appearances by actress Andrea Martin, actor Ed Harris, Nobel Prize winner Ardem Patapoutian, and novelists Chris Bohjalian and Peter Balakian. Musical performances this year include the internationally acclaimed opera singer Gurgen Baveyan, the remarkable “Aida Avanesyan & Svetlana Hakobyan” piano duo, and many other talents from Armenia.
Supporters worldwide can register to watch the “Home is Calling” benefit on December 11 at 5 p.m. PST / 8 p.m. EST by visiting the website, where you can also find more information on sponsorship opportunities. The fundraiser will also be televised live on USArmenia and ARTN.
The Children of Armenia Fund is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that employs community-led approaches aimed at improving the quality of life in rural Armenia, with a particular focus on children and youth. COAF’s target development areas are education, healthcare, social and economic development. COAF launched its programs in 2004, starting in one village and expanding to 64 villages in Armavir, Aragatsotn, Lori, Gegharkunik, Shirak, and Tavush regions, impacting more than 107,000 beneficiaries.
Since 2015, COAF has developed and started implementing the SMART Initiative. COAF SMART is designed to advance a generation across the rural world through education that will benefit individuals, societies, and the environment. As an exemplary model of development, COAF SMART will be replicated in other regions and communities throughout Armenia. The first COAF SMART Center was inaugurated on May 27, 2018, near the village of Debet, Lori Region.
BELMONT, MA—The National Association for Armenian Studies and Research announced that Silva Sedrakian will serve as its next Executive Director, starting on December 1. NAASR is one of the leading nonprofit Armenian Studies organizations in the world, founded in 1955.
Sedrakian is an accomplished non-profit manager, having worked for nearly 15 years at Oxfam America, an international organization addressing urgent humanitarian needs and striving to end poverty and injustice. As NAASR’s new Executive Director, she will manage the day-to-day operations. Sarah Ignatius, who is retiring as Executive Director, will serve as Executive Advisor during the transition and into 2022.
“Silva is an outstanding choice. We are eager to welcome her as Executive Director,” said Yervant Chekijian, Chairman, NAASR Board of Directors. “She has an excellent combination of skills and experience well-suited to NAASR’s next phase of expansion, collaboration, and growth, speaking several languages including Eastern Armenian, working for many years in various areas, including academia, nonprofit, and corporate, and having an international background and receiving her undergraduate degree in Armenian Studies in France, and earning an MBA from Northeastern University. During our five-month search, we were impressed by the caliber of the candidates and are delighted Silva will be joining NAASR as the new Executive Director.”
“NAASR will benefit immensely from Silva’s expertise in nonprofit management, her experience in building international partnerships, and her fluency in multiple languages to help NAASR serve its global mission,” said Judith Saryan, First Vice Chair, NAASR Board of Directors. “We were also impressed with her strong commitment and enthusiasm for NAASR’s mission, her dedication to Armenian Studies, as well as her leadership style rooted in respect, humility, hard work, integrity, and humor. She has a rare combination of skills that will serve the organization extremely well, and we look forward to working with her.”
“I am honored and thrilled that the Board has put their trust in me,” said Sedrakian. “I am impressed by the talented and dedicated Board and staff and am eager to work with them and the many NAASR members and supporters around the world,” she added.
At Oxfam America, Sedrakian specialized in program planning, monitoring and evaluation, led strategic planning processes, developed grant proposals, defined new partnership strategies with local and global organizations, and improved organizational practices and metrics aligned with Board strategy. She is also an adjunct faculty at the School for International Training in Brattleboro, VT, teaching monitoring, evaluation, and learning concepts and practices for sustainable development programs.
She received her Bachelor of Arts in Middle Eastern Civilization, Classical Arabic, Armenian & Japanese Studies at the National Institute of Oriental Languages in France. She earned a Master of Business Administration from Northeastern University.
She also has a certificate in Impact Investing from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and a Certificate in Community Management from the World Bank.
She speaks English, French, Armenian, and Farsi and has some knowledge of Arabic and Japanese. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Armenian Heritage Park and is a member of the Armenian Relief Society.
The National Association for Armenian Studies and Research was established in 1955 to advance Armenian Studies through a broad range of educational activities, and serves as a global center for Armenian Studies, offering excellent public educational programming, assistance to scholars, conservation of rare books in its Mardigian Library, and an online bookstore.