BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. The
U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce (USACC) will focus on helping
American companies evaluate Azerbaijan as a base for regional
engagement, said Natig Bakhishov, Executive Director of the
U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce (USACC).


He made the remarks September 30 during the U.S.-Azerbaijan
Chamber of Commerce (USACC) Members and Parters Appreciation Night
in Baku.


Bakhishov recalled that the Chamber supported commercial
dialogue surrounding the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the
Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline, which helped establish
Azerbaijan's role in international energy markets and provided a
foundation for broader cooperation with American businesses.


“Since 2006, USACC has organized trade and study missions that
bring companies directly into each other's markets. In agriculture,
the first Illinois-Azerbaijan Agriculture Forum held in Chicago in
2019 connected agricultural businesses and institutions. Our
Agriculture Export and Investment Support Initiative, developed
with U.S. Government and AZPROMO, extended that cooperation to
export development and investment opportunities. In finance,
U.S.-Azerbaijan Banking and Finance Forum held at the Harvard Club
in New York in 2015 provided a dedicated platform for financial
sector engagement. That work continued through the first Azerbaijan
Banking Mission to the United States in 2024, led by the Governor
of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan and involving executives from 11
Azerbaijani banks. The second Azerbaijan Banking Mission in 2025
deepened professional exchanges with American financial
institutions and regulatory experts,” said the USACC Executive
Director.


He went on to add that regional connectivity has become another
major focus.


“The 2025 U.S. business delegation to the Middle Corridor region
brought American businesses across Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan,
Georgia.

Through meetings and visits to transportation facilities, this
program helped companies examine Azerbaijan's role within the wider
regional market. Our Green Finance Leadership Summit, heading to
COP29, held in Washington, D.C. in 2024, brought public officials,
businesses, experts together to discuss sustainable climate-related
investment. Our 30th anniversary conference this March continued
that engagement through discussions on technology, energy,
infrastructure, and finance,” said Bakhishov.







He pointed out that the USACC wants the U.S.-Azerbaijan
commercial relationship to become broader, with more companies
participating and more sectors producing lasting partnerships.


“Energy will remain important while we pursue opportunities in
agriculture, technology, manufacturing, logistics, and services.
Our regional work will focus on helping American companies evaluate
Azerbaijan as a base for engagement with the South Caucasus and
Central Asia. Building on our Middle Corridor missions, we intend
to connect emerging routes, including opportunities associated with
trade, with specific business needs in transportation,
infrastructure, and trade services. We also want to strengthen the
follow-up that turns our programs into commercial results,” he
added.


Bakhishov noted that financial sector cooperation will remain a
priority, where the USACC will build on its banking mission and
compliance programs to support stronger institutional relationships
and the reliable financial channel that international commerce
requires.


“The next chapter will depend on our ability to work together
with the same commitment that brought us here,” he said.