Azerbaijan starts importing goods from Armenia as U.S.-backed TRIPP initiative boosts regional trade

Azerbaijan has recorded its first-ever imports from Armenia, signalling a tentative shift in economic ties between the two neighbours.

In March this year, Azerbaijan imported goods worth $960 from Armenia, marking the first recorded import from its neighbour, according to the news agency Report, citing the State Customs Committee.

In response to a query from Report, the State Customs Committee clarified that the $960 worth of items were roses from the Netherlands, transported through Armenia to Azerbaijan. 

Meanwhile, in the first quarter of the year, Baku exported $5.757 million to Yerevan.

It noted that that in last month alone, Azerbaijan exported $1.537 million worth of products.

Export receipts from Armenia represented 0.1% of Azerbaijan’s total export revenues.

Trade decline despite bilateral activity 

Overall, between January and March this year, Azerbaijan’s trade turnover with foreign countries totalled $9.407 billion, representing a 21.9% decline compared with the same period last year.

Of that total, $5.402 billion came from exports and $4.005 billion from imports. Year on year, exports fell by 15.4%, while imports dropped by 29.3%.

As a result, Azerbaijan recorded a foreign trade surplus of $1.398 billion, 93.4% higher than a year earlier.

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TRIPP initiative signals new regional phase

The landmark trilateral summit held in Washington on 8 August 2025 served as a decisive turning point for South Caucasus trade, resulting in the establishment of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP).

This U.S.-backed framework has shifted the region’s dynamics from conflict management to infrastructure-led peacebuilding by facilitating the reopening of critical transit routes. The agreement has already yielded tangible economic results, with the lifting of long-standing transit restrictions enabling the movement of more than 10,000 tonnes of fuel and industrial goods between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

By providing a structured gateway through the Zangezur Corridor, the TRIPP initiative not only secures a 43-kilometre transit link across Armenian territory but also integrates the region into a broader Eurasian logistics network, supported by a $145 million U.S. commitment to infrastructure and cross-border security.

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Azerbaijan Armenia Trade Azerbaijan Armenia Relations News Politics