The Importance of the Zangezur Corridor in terms of Regional Cooperation and Stability

At the end of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, which resulted in the historic victory of Azerbaijan, new geopolitical and geostrategic realities emerged in the South Caucasus region. At the end of the war, Azerbaijan restored its sovereignty over all its territories within the framework of international law. The consolidation of Azerbaijan's position as a leading country in the South Caucasus was one of the most important consequences of the war. Azerbaijan has new prospects as a result of maintaining its long-standing regional economic leadership backed by political and military leadership. In this context, a favorable geopolitical atmosphere has emerged that will expedite regional infrastructure projects with an economic focus. The strategic importance of the Zangezur Corridor within these projects makes it extremely important. Through the corridor, Europe and Asia will be able to cooperate economically. In this case, the geostrategic importance of Azerbaijan will be further strengthened and it will take on a stability-building framework. The Zangezur Corridor, which is a natural part of the One Belt, One Road global transportation project, will make regional and international trade more comprehensive. Thus, the South Caucasus will no longer be associated with conflict, but with economic stability. In the short and medium term, an environment of economic cooperation will be created between the countries of Central Asia, especially between the neighboring regions. At the same time, there will be a comprehensive increase in Azerbaijan's trade with Turkey. This study examines the economic, commercial, and strategic prospects of the Zangezur Corridor on several levels. This corridor has the potential to have a direct impact on regional stability and cooperation. The study is based on this issue.