The first shipment of cargo from Afghanistan, represented by 115 tons of marble, was successfully delivered to Azerbaijan through the territory of Turkmenistan, Afghan Business News Portal reports.
"This new route opens up Azerbaijani markets for Afghan products and contributes to the expansion of trade cooperation between the two countries," the report says.
The inauguration was attended by officials from the Ministry of Commerce and the representatives of private companies.
According to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Afghanistan in January-May 2019 amounted to around 48 million USD.
Lapis Lazuli corridor, an international transit route linking Afghanistan to Turkey via Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Georgia, opened in 2018. Serhetabat – Turgundy railway corridor, which is a part of Lazuli transport and transit corridor, had been put into operation in February 2018. The construction of Turkmen – Afghan railway was fully undertaken by Turkmenistan.
According to the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI), 80 percent of goods shipped from South Asia to Europe will travel by this route.
Afghan experts recognize that the shipment of goods produced in Afghanistan via Turkmenistan to other countries provides favourable condition for Afghanistan and encourages closer collaboration among countries of the region.
