{"id":29156,"date":"2026-08-24T21:04:34","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T13:04:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/?page_id=29156"},"modified":"2026-08-31T00:16:35","modified_gmt":"2026-08-30T16:16:35","slug":"azerbaijan-connecting-regions-expanding-opportunities","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/?page_id=29156","title":{"rendered":"Azerbaijan: Connecting Regions, Expanding Opportunities"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"29156\" class=\"elementor elementor-29156\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3b777e3 elementor-hidden-mobile e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3b777e3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d5f95e5 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d5f95e5\" data-element_type=\"container\" 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data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Azerbaijan: Connecting Regions, Expanding Opportunities   <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-70ba50e elementor-shape-rounded elementor-grid-0 e-grid-align-center elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-social-icons\" data-id=\"70ba50e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"social-icons.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-social-icons-wrapper elementor-grid\" role=\"list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-grid-item\" role=\"listitem\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-icon elementor-social-icon elementor-social-icon-facebook elementor-animation-pulse-grow elementor-repeater-item-4daa868\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/CARECProgram\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span 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elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"6b84284\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ce99a59 single-page-img elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ce99a59\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project.jpg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"AZE East-West Highway Improvement Project\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MjkxNTcsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC9jYXJlY3Byb2dyYW0ub3JnXC91cGxvYWRzXC9BWkUtRWFzdC1XZXN0LUhpZ2h3YXktSW1wcm92ZW1lbnQtUHJvamVjdC5qcGcifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-1200x800.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29157\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project.jpg 1300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8913e86 elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8913e86\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Running from the coasts of the Caspian Sea to the Black Sea, the East-West Highway is one of Azerbaijan&#8217;s longest and most vital transport routes. As part of CAREC Corridor 2, it links Asia and Europe and facilitates trade, motor vehicle transport, and tourism across borders.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">By the mid-2000s, some parts of the highway and its connecting roads had already turned into a bottleneck for trade and transportation: increased travel time, aging infrastructure, and slow border procedures were all slowing down the movement of people and goods on a route that is not only vital to Azerbaijan but also to the entire region.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">To address these challenges, the Asian Development Bank, through the CAREC Program, supported the East\u2013West Highway Improvement Project. A $52 million project completed in 2010 rebuilt several key parts of the highway, such as the Yevlakh-Ganja and Gazakh-Georgia border stretches, improved local roads linking localities to the highway, enhanced road sector institutions, and renovated the Red Bridge border crossing with Georgia. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The project helped transform a vital transport corridor into a stronger engine of trade and development.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Improved border-crossing facilities and upgraded road infrastructure made travel faster, safer, and more efficient. The number of vehicles on the project roads increased by an average of 10.8% per year from 2006 to 2010, reflecting higher economic activity and improved connectivity. At the same time, Azerbaijan&#8217;s foreign trade grew by an average of 30% per year, facilitated by more efficient transport along one of the country&#8217;s most strategic trade routes.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">The benefits of the project were far beyond the transport corridor.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">In six districts of western Azerbaijan, improved connectivity opened access to jobs, markets, education, and essential services. It was not only farmers and businesses that were linked to various markets at home and abroad, but also communities that were connected to different economic centers. GDP growth in the six districts after the project&#8217;s completion was 13.1%, exceeding the national average.<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"none\">Fifty-six manufacturing and service enterprises were established, creating new opportunities for locals.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For travelers, the changes were tangible.<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">It took 20% less time to travel from Kemerli to Gazakh, and the Asan-Gazakh route was shortened by almost one third. Besides that, better access helped increase employment, as the average number of employed people in Gazakh rose by 8.1% during the project&#8217;s implementation, while the average wage in the city soared by 185%.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Since joining CAREC in 2003, Azerbaijan has worked with regional partners to strengthen connectivity across Eurasia. The East\u2013West Highway Improvement Project demonstrates how modern transport infrastructure can do more than move vehicles. It can connect people to opportunities, support local businesses, stimulate regional development, and reinforce Azerbaijan\u2019s role as a bridge between Asia and Europe.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-038d33e e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"038d33e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ec9bab3 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"ec9bab3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-de5c064 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"de5c064\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-2-1200x800.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29159\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-2-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-2-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-2.jpg 1300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-95e5376 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"95e5376\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d75458b elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"d75458b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-1200x800.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29157\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project.jpg 1300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c22b471 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"c22b471\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b37b9a1 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"b37b9a1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5c31be7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"5c31be7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-1-1200x800.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29158\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-1-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-1-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-1.jpg 1300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-63adcff e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"63adcff\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-187a5f7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"187a5f7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-3-1200x800.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29160\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-3-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-3-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/uploads\/AZE-East-West-Highway-Improvement-Project-3.jpg 1300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-275a3e84 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"275a3e84\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7f8e4998 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"7f8e4998\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-11ffe630 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"11ffe630\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Related:<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-79e4712 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"79e4712\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/?project=east-west-highway-improvement-project\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong style=\"color: #cf2f2f;\">AZE: East-West Highway Improvement Project\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Back to Anniversary Page Back to CAREC Website Azerbaijan: Connecting Regions, Expanding Opportunities Facebook Instagram X-twitter Linkedin Youtube 2 min(s) read Transport Running from the coasts of the Caspian Sea to the Black Sea, the East-West Highway is one of Azerbaijan&#8217;s longest and most vital transport routes. As part of CAREC Corridor 2, it links [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":28202,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-elementor-event.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-29156","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/29156","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=29156"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/29156\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/28202"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carecprogram.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=29156"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}