Atlantic Council analyst describes TRIPP as game changer for South Caucasus

The TRIPP agreement creates significant new economic prospects for the South Caucasus, according to Rich Outzen, senior non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council and geopolitical analyst.

According to domestic media, Outzen made these remarks during the first Azerbaijan-US Think Tank Forum in Baku.

“The TRIPP agreement carries not only diplomatic weight but also substantial commercial potential,” he said. “This broadens the base of supporters for the project, including within the private sector, which in turn enhances its chances of successful implementation.”

Outzen underscored the strategic importance of the TRIPP project, which includes a 26-kilometre segment of Armenian territory that is expected to serve as a key transit corridor linking Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Central Asia, and Europe. He noted that Central Asian countries view the project as a crucial component of the broader Middle Corridor, a route that would further integrate Central Asia and the South Caucasus with Western economies.

“Today, around a dozen countries have an interest in the project’s success, making it multidimensional and strategically vital for the region,” Outzen stressed. “Coupled with the opportunities it offers the private sector, there is real reason for optimism.”

The forum, currently underway in Baku, is the inaugural Azerbaijan-US Think Tank Forum, bringing together leading experts and policy specialists from both countries under the theme “Shared Perspectives: Azerbaijan–US Dialogue for Strategic Partnership.”

Sessions focus on the Washington Summit’s influence on bilateral relations, the Azerbaijan–Armenia peace process, and regional energy security, while participants also explore ways to deepen strategic cooperation and promote stability across the broader Eurasian region.

By Tamilla Hasanova