Armenian official: Peace with Azerbaijan spurs business, innovation, prosperity

The opening of the Armenian–Turkish border could triple trade between the two countries, Armenian National Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan said during an international conference in Brussels.

“According to a study by the Amberd Research Centre, reopening the border could bring mutual benefits to both our peoples and economies, increasing trade between Armenia and Türkiye by 200%,” Caliber.Az quotes Grigoryan as saying. 

“Using Turkish territory will allow us to shorten the trade route between Armenia and Eastern Europe by 10–25%, and between Armenia and Central Europe by 5–15%.”

Grigoryan also touched upon the process of normalising relations with Azerbaijan and the recent initialling of a peace agreement in Washington, attended by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and the United States. He noted that the ongoing peace efforts have had a positive impact on Armenia’s economy.

“Between May and August 2025, Armenia recorded a significant rise in tourism. For example, in June, more than 215,000 tourists arrived in the country — a 19% increase compared with 2024,” he said. 

"We attribute this growth to the March announcement by Armenia and Azerbaijan that they had completed negotiations on a peace agreement, which drew attention from around the world."

He added that the September economic activity index, which grew by 10.5%, also reflected the possible effects of the August 8 deal. 

“This proves that peace stimulates business, innovation and prosperity,” Grigoryan concluded.

By Aghakazim Guliyev