THEME 10: CRITICAL MINERALS AND THE MIDDLE CORRIDOR: AZERBAIJAN AND THE SOUTH CAUCASUS IN EUROPE’S EMERGING EURASIAN SUPPLY CHAINS
17:15
– 17:45 / 30 November 2026
Auditorium
- Europe’s push to diversify critical-minerals supply chains is raising the strategic importance of Central Asia, the Caspian region and the South Caucasus. This session explores how the Middle Corridor can grow from a transport route into a wider supply-chain architecture linking Central Asian minerals with European markets.
- It will focus on Azerbaijan’s role as a transit, logistics and energy hub connecting Central Asia, Türkiye and Europe, and assess how infrastructure, regional cooperation and new transport initiatives can strengthen supply-chain resilience and reduce reliance on traditional routes.
- The session will also consider the growing involvement of the EU, Türkiye, China and other external actors, and how competition over critical minerals and connectivity may reshape the geopolitical significance of the wider Caspian region.
- Azerbaijan – State Programme for Mining and Metallurgy Development (2027–2030): Diversifying beyond oil: can mining and metallurgy deliver the 2030 targets, including 5,000+ permanent jobs, and what role will they play in the non-oil economy?
Moderator
17:25 - Panel Discussion
Counsel
Centil Law
Senior Advisor
AIR Center
