Yesterday, US Vice President James David Vance visited Azerbaijan. Vance met with the head of state Ilham Aliyev. During the meeting, a Charter of Strategic Partnership was signed. The Charter also includes issues of economic-regional connections, including energy, trade and transit, economic investments, including cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital infrastructure.
The main nuance is what this charter, signed between Azerbaijan and the US, promises us economically and what dividends it will bring.
In a statement to Modern.az, Azer Badamov, Deputy Chairman of the Milli Majlis Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship, stated that the Strategic Partnership Charter covers a number of economic areas:
"After the meeting of our heads of state in Washington on August 8, 2025, and the signed documents, Azerbaijan-US relations have entered a new phase. The visit of US Vice President James David Vance to our region and the documents signed in Baku once again confirmed the US's commitment to the Washington agreements.
Thus, the basis of the Strategic Partnership Charter signed between President Ilham Aliyev and Vance is the mutual affirmation of our countries' independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the inviolability of borders. This is a political document demonstrating the US's recognition of Azerbaijan as an important strategic partner in the region.
The document defines directions for cooperation. The document includes energy and economic cooperation, technology and innovation sectors, regional projects and transport corridors, and cooperation in the field of security and defense.
The realization of the TRIPP project will create new opportunities for cooperation in the region. This will not only be limited to cargo and passenger transportation but will also actualize the formation of energy and digital corridors. Thus, the Eurasian region will be connected via Azerbaijan, and this, in addition to bringing economic dividends to our country, will strengthen our political positions and bring lasting peace to our region".
A. Badamov noted that trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the US will gradually increase in the next few years:
"Last year, in 2025, trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the US was close to 1.6 billion dollars: This constitutes 3.15% of our country's foreign trade turnover and indicates that the US is our 6th largest foreign partner. However, the potential is very large. Thus, the expansion of cooperation in the agreed areas in the signed Strategic Partnership Charter will also lead to an increase in trade turnover between our countries. Although this document does not foresee mutual trade concessions, it envisages our joint participation in regional projects, the placement of additional investments in the country's economy, and the expansion of cooperation in technological fields. This will contribute to a gradual increase in turnover between our countries in the next few years.
During the Biden-Blinken administration, Azerbaijan-US relations had fallen to a historical low. US Vice President Vance, during his meeting with President Ilham Aliyev, specifically touched upon this issue, noting that the previous administration pursued a foolish policy against Azerbaijan and stated that relations between our countries would develop further in the coming three years. With the signing of this document, Azerbaijan becomes a strategic partner with the world's most powerful country. This will naturally serve the development of comprehensive relations, the sustainability of peace in our region, and the expansion of cooperation".
Vugar Bayramov, a member of the Milli Majlis Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship, also emphasized that the visit of the US Vice President to Azerbaijan will open a new page between the two countries:
"On the one hand, the countries signed a Strategic Partnership Charter. This means that relations between Azerbaijan and the US are now rising to the level of strategic partnership. On the other hand, joint cooperation will be observed between Azerbaijan and the US not only in trade relations but also in a number of investment projects, including the attraction of investment. On the one hand, increases in non-oil exports are expected for the United States of America, while on the other hand, a special expectation is related to attracting more investment from the US, technology, and innovation transfer. Naturally, it is also necessary to consider the fact that Azerbaijan is one of the key countries in the Middle Corridor in the region. Cooperation between the US and Central Asia is strengthening. With this, Azerbaijan is naturally also a bridge between Central Asia and Europe".
According to the deputy, from this perspective, the transportation of rare earth elements from Central Asia via Azerbaijan is also one of the factors that will increase Azerbaijan's geopolitical importance:
"It will also allow for an increase in the volume of international cargo transported across the country and an increase in our state revenues. Therefore, unequivocally, the new strategic cooperation between the parties promises new dividends for Azerbaijan from an economic perspective".
Economist expert Akram Hasanov commented on the issue as follows:
"James David Vance's visit is more geopolitical in nature. With this, the US sends a message that the South Caucasus has left Russia's sphere of influence and is entering its own. However, to attract the South Caucasus, the US creates certain economic interests. Azerbaijan presents itself as a transit country. We have such an advantage".
