Horadiz-Aghband road to become strategic corridor linking mainland Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan

The Horadiz-Aghband highway will become a strategic transport corridor linking mainland Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan, Vahid Hajiyev, the presidential special representative for the Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan districts, said.

He said the road is one of the key infrastructure projects being implemented in Karabakh and East Zangazur and is important not only for logistics but also for the region’s economic development.

Hajiyev said the highway passes near modern settlements being built under the Great Return programme, including the smart villages of Aghali and Mehdibeyli, where digital and energy solutions are being introduced.

He said the development of transport infrastructure is one of the main conditions for the sustainable return of former internally displaced persons.

After 2020, Azerbaijan launched large-scale reconstruction work in Karabakh and East Zangazur. The 2022-2026 Great Return state programme covers housing, schools, medical facilities, public buildings, roads, railway lines and engineering infrastructure.

“Our goal was not only to restore destroyed territories, but also to create safe, modern and sustainable communities where people can live with confidence in the future,” Hajiyev said.

He said the villages of Aghali, Mehdibeyli and Khorovlu, which were destroyed during the occupation, are being transformed into modern smart villages built in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

A hydroelectric system is already operating in Aghali, with enough capacity to supply electricity to about 500 homes. Similar solutions are planned for other settlements in the region.