United States launches $201 million fund for Central Asia trade

The United States government has allocated $201 million to establish the Trans-Caspian Enterprise Fund, a non-profit initiative designed to stimulate private investment in the South Caucasus and Central Asia. This move signals a strategic shift from diplomatic mediation toward active economic engagement in the region.

The fund aims to bolster the ‘Middle Corridor’ trade route. During the ‘Prosperity Through Peace’ summit in New York, leaders from over 40 companies and government representatives from Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and five Central Asian nations discussed transforming the ‘Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity’ (TRIPP) into a functional commercial artery.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan noted the significant role of U.S. involvement in restoring regional transport links. Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Yalchin Rafiyev described the TRIPP initiative as a peace-building mechanism rooted in mutual economic interests, leveraging the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan to foster infrastructure and high-tech growth.