Private operators are set to participate in the implementation of the “Trump Route” in Armenia, with the United States providing technical assistance that will cover inspection and customs clearance procedures, as well as the deployment of advanced screening technologies.
According to Caliber.Az, citing Armenian media, these arrangements are outlined in a joint declaration on TRIPP adopted following the meeting between Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The document was published on the website of Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The declaration reiterates that Armenia’s sovereignty and jurisdiction over all border and customs operations are not open to negotiation. It notes that border management will be carried out using an international “front-office/back-office” operational model.
Armenia plans to introduce several pilot projects designed to streamline pre-customs clearance procedures, digitise documentation, and advance the “single checkpoint” approach.
Under the project framework, private operators contracted by the TRIPP Development Company are expected to handle a range of services, including the initial collection of documents for verification, providing information and consultation to users, collecting fees, and processing payments related to trade and transit.
Armenian officials will retain a permanent physical presence at all border and customs facilities, and the country’s sovereign functions will not be outsourced. The document also specifies that private personnel responsible for operational security may be employed, provided they secure licensing in Armenia.
The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), also referred to as the Zangezur Corridor, is a major regional infrastructure initiative aimed at linking mainland Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan exclave through Armenia’s Syunik (Zangezur) region.
The project was formally established on August 8, 2025, in Washington through a declaration signed by the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia, together with US President Donald Trump.
Conceived as both a peacebuilding mechanism and a strategic logistics corridor, TRIPP envisions the creation of new rail and road connections, oil and gas pipelines, fibre-optic communication lines, and electricity transmission infrastructure. Its broader objective is to integrate the South Caucasus into the “Middle Corridor” trade route between Europe and Asia, thereby expanding regional transit capacity, supporting trade flows, and promoting economic diversification.
By Tamilla Hasanova
