US eyes closer ties with Azerbaijan to boost peace and prosperity in South Caucasus

On December 19, officials from the United States and Azerbaijan met to kick off a new bilateral working group.

According to a statement issued by the U.S. Embassy in Baku on X, the meeting focused on joint initiatives to strengthen regional connectivity and trade, enhance economic investment—including in AI and digital infrastructure—and deepen security cooperation.

“Yesterday, senior U.S. and Azerbaijani officials met for the inaugural session of our countries’ bilateral working group to begin implementing the MOU signed at President Trump’s historic August 8 Peace Summit in Washington,” the embassy said.

The statement added that both sides are committed to advancing collaborative projects in the South Caucasus. “The United States looks forward to working with our valued strategic partner Azerbaijan to advance President Trump’s vision for peace and prosperity and unlock the rich economic potential of the South Caucasus,” it read.

The initiative was formally endorsed on August 8, 2025, in Washington, with a declaration signed by the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia, together with U.S. President Donald Trump. TRIPP is intended to serve both as a peace-building mechanism and a major logistics corridor.

Its key elements include new rail and road links, oil and gas pipelines, fibre-optic networks, and electricity transmission lines.

The overarching aim is to integrate the South Caucasus nations into the “Middle Corridor” trade route connecting Europe and Asia, thereby boosting regional transit, trade, and economic diversification.

By Aghakazim Guliyev