Azerbaijan’s participation in the United States-backed Board of Peace reflects a clear calculation of national interest, according to Chingiz Mammadov, Research Alumni of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and the Woodrow Wilson International Center.
The initiative by U.S. President Donald Trump was officially launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, as a platform to promote stability and peace in conflict-affected regions.
Azerbaijan confirmed its participation on 22 January, with President Ilham Aliyev framing the country’s membership as sharing the “noble mission” of advancing peace.
“First of all, every country should think about their own interests,” Mammadov noted. “I think Azerbaijan took this into account when joining this board of peace.”
He also highlighted the composition of the board as a factor in Baku’s decision.
“Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Hungary - so many friends of Azerbaijan are in this organization. This was also taken into account,” Mammadov said.
The expert also pointed to differences in U.S. foreign policy approaches.
“If we compare the current administration of the United States, Trump, with the Biden administration, we see that very big difference. A very big difference. And Trump promotes peace and contributes to peace in Azerbaijan, between Azerbaijan and Armenia,” he said.
According to Mammadov, initiatives such as the Board of Peace, including projects related to the Zangezur corridor and regional connectivity, are closely aligned with Azerbaijan’s foreign policy.
“I think it's very pragmatic from Azerbaijan's side to join initiatives which United States now champions,” he said.
He cautioned that the long-term effectiveness of such initiatives remains uncertain.
“To what extent it will work, future will show. We don't know yet. Even the position of the United States may change after three years if the administration changes."
However, Mammadov stated that, for the current moment, Azerbaijan has taken the right position, one that clearly serves its national interests.
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Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
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