BAKU: Azerbaijan To Attract Over $1b. To Road Building In 2006-2008

AZERBAIJAN TO ATTRACT OVER $1B. TO ROAD BUILDING IN 2006-2008
Author: S. Aliyev

TREND, Azerbaijan
Aug. 17, 2006

A presentation of projects being implemented, and projects to be
implemented in the sector of road building was hold at the Ministry of
Transport of Azerbaijan Republic today.Javid Gurbanov, the Head of the
Department of Road Building of Yolnagliyyatservis of the Ministry of
Transport of Azerbaijan Republic told that at present there are about
30,000 km of highways in Azerbaijan. 17,326 km out of the 18,799 km
highways of common use belong to the Ministry of Transportation,
2,661 km of highways are under of the Armenian occupation on the
territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, 1,473 km belong to the State Company
of Nakhavtoyol, and the other highways belong to municipalities,
different transportation managements, and enterprises, Trend reports.

J. Gurbanov also pointed out that at present the indicator of
development of roads in the country is on the lower level. Today
works aimed at changing of this indicator are carried out.

1st category roads (dual-dual highways) make up just 1 per cent
(175 km) out of the total volume of roads of common use in the country.

"About $5 b. are needed for the reconstruction of roads of the
country", pointed out the Head of the Department.

According to the Department, since 1998 till August 2006 $78,04 m
have been spent on the road building of the country as credits of
different international financial institutions. $20,2 m were spent in
2005.$16,93 m had been spend over the seven months of this year. The
share of Azerbaijan in the total volume of means being spent on
the road building since 1998 till August 2006 makes $12,63 m. This
indicator in 2005 was $2,12 m. Over the seven month of this year the
share of Azerbaijan in the road building makes up $3,14 m.

According to forecast in 2006-2008 $1 b. are expected to be invested
as credits to the road building in the country (124,7 m in 2006,
$399,3 in 2007, and $545,4 m in 2008). The share of Azerbaijan in
the road building projects is expected at the volume of $238,887 m.

($20,247 m in 2006, $95,21 m in 2007, and $123,43 in 2008).