TRIPP to boost South Caucasus economy, Azerbaijani deputy FM says

“The Trump Route” (TRIPP) is a significant project capable of simultaneously giving new impetus to the economy of the South Caucasus and contributing to the consolidation of peace.

Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Yalchin Rafiyev made the remarks at the 7th annual Caspian Business Forum, organised by the Caspian Policy Center (CPC) in New York, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

“TRIPP is an important project that will not only provide economic support to the countries of the region [South Caucasus] and create commercial value, but will also serve as another example of an initiative that contributes to establishing peace in the region and creating common interests for all countries,” Rafiyev said during the panel session titled “Investing in the Middle Corridor: What does the new TRIPP Corridor mean for the region?”

The deputy minister highlighted the growing importance of reliable regional connectivity amid disruptions to global trade routes.

“For Azerbaijan, effective regional connectivity means shorter and more predictable routes, more resilient supply chains, improved access to markets and, of course, new opportunities for trade and investment,” Rafiyev said.

He also highlighted Azerbaijan’s investments in infrastructure, including the Port of Baku, the Alat Free Economic Zone and the modernised Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway.

According to Rafiyev, the development of physical infrastructure should be accompanied by more efficient border procedures and the digitalisation of customs systems.

Efgan Nifti, Executive Director of the Caspian Policy Center, also addressed the forum. He noted the significant changes that had taken place in the Caspian region over the past year, as well as the growing role of the Middle Corridor (Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, TITR) as a trade and transport route connecting Asia and Europe.

“For the corridor to fully realise its potential, it increasingly needs to operate as a single integrated system — with harmonised border procedures, coordinated ports and railways, and digital documentation. The task now is not simply to build more infrastructure, but to make the entire corridor faster, more reliable and easier for businesses to use,” he said.

Peter Andreoli, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, in turn, described TRIPP as a new model of US engagement with the countries of the region on connectivity development. According to him, the “Trump Route” could become an important link in the broader Middle Corridor.

“The TRIPP initiative marks a change in the approach of the United States and regional partners to developing regional connectivity,” Andreoli said.

Mark Cameron, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, stressed that Washington’s interest in the region had reached an unprecedented level. He also welcomed the completion of the Trans-Caspian Fibre-Optic Cable connecting Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, noting the opportunities it creates for expanding digital connectivity and investment in technology. In a broader context, Cameron highlighted the development of bilateral commercial ties between the United States and the countries of Central Asia.

Georgia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Lasha Darsalia described the Middle Corridor as not merely an alternative trade route, but a vital component of the Eurasian transport connectivity architecture.

Kazakhstan’s Presidential Representative for Negotiations with the United States Erzhan Kazykhan stressed the strategic importance Kazakhstan attaches to the Middle Corridor and noted the additional opportunities TRIPP could create for connecting Central Asia with European markets.

Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Economy and Commerce Bakyt Sydykov noted that transport accessibility is an important issue for landlocked Central Asian countries.

“Transport accessibility directly affects the competitiveness of our economy, the cost of doing business, our ability to attract investment and the access of Kyrgyz companies to global markets,” he said.

Congressman Abraham Hamadeh, who also spoke at the event, highlighted the economic opportunities that could emerge from the establishment of lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the implementation of the TRIPP project.

“Lasting peace can open borders, restore ties between communities, expand trade, create new opportunities and allow the younger generation to get to know their neighbours through trade and cooperation rather than through conflict and war,” he said.