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The Zangezur Corridor is a strategic transportation route that extends from Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, to the city of Kars in eastern Türkiye, passing through the Syunik region of Armenia. This corridor, which has the potential to expand the trade routes between Europe and Asia, has historically served as a bridge among regional cultures, ethnic groups, and states, playing a crucial role not only in the Caucasus but also in enhancing regional connections throughout Eurasia. Due to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, this corridor had lost its effectiveness for thirty years. However, after a 44-day war of independence, geopolitical and geostrategic changes have revived its importance. The activation of this corridor has increased the potential of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), the main subject of our study, to become a regional power.
The Zangezur Corridor facilitates commercial and cultural exchanges and contributes to the strengthening of regional cooperation by connecting the territories of Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Russia, Iran, and Armenia, primarily including the Turkic Republics (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan). This corridor, which is of critical importance for the faster and more cost-effective transportation of energy resources and commercial goods to Europe, enhances energy security and commercial diversity.
The first part of the study will discuss the economic benefits and new cooperation opportunities provided by the Zangezur Corridor through facilitating trade, reducing transportation costs, and shortening transit times among the member states of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). In this context, the impacts of the Corridor on energy transmission lines and its contributions to regional energy security will be assessed, and the effect of increased economic integration and trade on OTS will be analyzed.
The second part of the study will examine the effects of the Corridor on regional security and stability, addressing how it will influence the balance of power. The role of the Corridor in border management and security, as well as the policies of regional and global actors towards resolving potential border disputes, will be analyzed. In this framework, Iran, Armenia, Russia, and OTS member countries, which aim to protect their national interests, will be considered.
In the third part of the study, the focus will be on how the Zangezur Corridor supports political and cultural interaction on both regional and international levels, and how it can facilitate cultural and artistic exchanges among the Turkic republics. Additionally, the role of the Corridor in strengthening the common identity sentiment within the Turkic World will be examined. How this Corridor can serve as a tool in enhancing the soft power of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) on the international stage, and its contributions to cultural diplomacy activities will be evaluated.
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