cable- The Lazord Road is a regional road linking Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, and provides the three non -coastal member states with great commercial and economic opportunities that can contribute to its economic growth.
Since 2014, Kabul has been looking for alternative trade routes to reduce dependence on Pakistani and Iranian ports that are closed for political reasons in front of Afghan trade and their distance compared to the Lazord road from international waters.
The 2800 -kilometer lapis lazuli road is part of the historic silk road, through which the lapis lazuli was exported to Europe and North Africa 4,000 years ago, so the road was named after him.
Afghan Minister of Trade Noureddine Azizi told Al -Jazeera Net: “After the inauguration of the Lazord road, Afghanistan is no longer the need to rely on Pakistan and Iran in export and import, as the Lazord road is shorter and cheaper to Europe, and Central Asian countries believe in the future of Afghanistan, and we will link it to the world through other ways.”
The idea of establishing the Lazord Road in 2014 was presented by an Afghan initiative with Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, and the idea was welcomed by the countries participating in the project.
The Lakhord Road begins from the ports in the state of Faris and Torgundi in the state of Herat, and connects Afghanistan with international waters and Europe via the Turkkanbashi port in Turkmenistan, Baku in Azerbaijan, and Tbilisi in Georgia to Kareeh in Turkey, and from there it calls Istanbul and then to Europe.
“The Lazord Road is the most secure compared to the Pakistani and Iranian ports to the West and China, as it easily reaches the oil -rich areas in Central Asia and the Caucasus,” says the head of the Economic Affairs Department.
He added, “The West and China are seeking to benefit from the energy of the Central Asian countries without Russia’s intervention, and everyone is trying to avoid Iran because of international sanctions. Previously, the transportation of goods from Azerbaijan to Turkey took 24 days, but now, it takes only two days, and Baku will host a meeting next month on the final status of the project.”
Lakhord abbreviates the road
The greatest shepherd says that the Lapoise road shorten the distance between Afghanistan and Europe compared to traditional methods, and strengthens international relations for Afghanistan with Central Asian countries and Europe, contributes to regional development, and will decrease the cost and time of exporting goods.
Afghanistan was suffering from the closure of the Pakistani authorities on it and preventing it from reaching international waters. And its closure after the arrival of the Taliban is not the new matter, and the political relations between the two countries receive a shadow of trade and the economy.
The transportation of goods through the Pakistani port of Karachi to the city of Jalal Abad, East Afghanistan, takes about 14 days, while the cost of transporting only one truck of goods exceeds 5 thousand dollars.
“In 1949, Pakistan closed its borders with Afghanistan, causing economic problems, leading to an economic crisis, and prompted the former Soviet Union to help Kabul and deliver aid through the air, while the Afghan authorities began to think to break the isolation that it suffered for decades, and the previous government was able to initiate the initiative to revive the Lazord road, which is considered an artery New to pump blood into the Afghan economy.
Economists in Afghanistan believe that when we compare the Lazord road to traditional paths through Pakistan and Iran, the Pakistani track passes through the port of Karachi, then ships sea to Europe, which adds time due to customs procedures and political restrictions, and takes 40-45 days to global markets.
As for the Iranian track, such as the port of Bandar Abbas, it faces international sanctions that may hinder trade, and it takes 30-35 days, but it is affected by the sanctions.
However, the Lapoise road reduces the period to 20-25 days and reaches Europe directly without the need to cross the Strait of Hormuz or the Suez Canal.
“The countries that are located along the Lazord road will provide services such as canceling the transport fees on Afghan trucks, visa exemption and customs tariffs, and these services cannot imagine with Pakistani and Iranian tracks. These matters reduce the cost of export and reduce time.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmpcyp7ddw
Other benefits
According to Afghan officials, Afghanistan, the owner of this initiative, is considered one of the leading countries in it, but the question is what political and economic benefits will return to Afghanistan and the countries that are on this road?
Diaa Halimi, a former World Bank official of Al -Jazeera Net, says about the importance of this project, that Afghanistan is not the only country on this road, but rather it also works as a link between South Asian countries and China on the one hand and Europe on the other hand, and all the countries participating in the project benefit from it.
China’s commitment to investing about $ 40 billion is a sign of its importance, and this road is a great opportunity for Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Georgia to reduce its dependence on Russia, according to Halimi.
The same spokesman adds that these countries are making serious efforts to implement the road with the aim of strengthening partnership with Europe, noting that the fifth country is Turkey that seeks to become a transit point for energy to Europe, so it is making great efforts to implement the project.
Commercial opportunities for Turkey
The Lazord road is not just a commercial corridor, but a strategic opportunity for Turkey to expand its trade and economic influence, and to achieve long -term gains from trade between Asia and Europe.
The researcher, writer and political researcher, Hikmat Jalil, told Al -Jazeera Net: “Türkiye benefits from the Lazord road in several ways, most notably:
- Enhancing its location as a global commercial center, as the road enhances Turkey as a bridge between Asia and Europe, which makes it a basic center for transporting goods, and increases the importance of its ports, such as the Port of Mersin and Istanbul, where goods are re -exported to Europe.
- It strengthens its political and economic influence in strengthening relations with the Caucasus and Central Asia countries, which supports Turkish influence in the region.
Searching for an alternative
Afghanistan is a non -coastal country, and it needs to find water paths to cross and trade. Political and security challenges and other transportation problems on the Indian Ocean road have prompted alternative ways to reach international waters.
In this regard, economist Farid Jamal told Al -Jazeera Net: “The Lakhord Road will be a pass for transportation and commercial activities with European countries, and will provide investment and work opportunities, and the growth of production in these five countries.”
“Afghanistan will benefit more than this commercial road because of the commitment of member states not to pay customs duties on Afghan goods,” he added, noting that the Afghan government confirms that the new road will contribute to supporting the Afghan economy by 27% compared to other roads.
