WASHINGTON, U.S., March 11. In Azerbaijan, the
U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is exploring
opportunities to develop critical infrastructure projects and
deploy U.S. companies’ trusted innovative technologies, Carl Kress,
USTDA Regional Director, Middle East, North Africa, Europe and
Eurasia, said in an exclusive interview with Trend.


He made the remarks on the sidelines of the U.S.-Azerbaijan
Trade and Business Conference dedicated to the 30th Anniversary of
the United States-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce (USACC) in
Washington D.C.


"Our work helps mobilize capital for overseas infrastructure
while creating export opportunities for U.S. firms. This model has
proven enormously successful. USTDA’s program supports an average
of $226 in U.S. exports for every dollar it programs. We achieve
these results because we give our partners the chance to choose
American technology over our competitors’. We look forward to
increasing our engagement with Azerbaijan to stimulate new
infrastructure-related partnerships.


While USTDA has not been active in Azerbaijan in recent years,
we do have a history of productive cooperation. For example, USTDA
helped support a major satellite project in Azerbaijan in 2013. The
Azerspace-2 satellite has been in successful commercial operation
since February 2019. USTDA also provided significant support for
the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline that
still delivers Azerbaijani oil to global markets," he said.


Kress pointed out that the Strategic Partnership Charter that
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and the U.S. Vice President
Vance signed in Baku on February 11 notes the U.S. commitment to
working together on regional connectivity, including through the
establishment of the multi-modal Trump Route for International
Peace and Prosperity, which will create a vital link in the
Trans-Caspian Trade Route, or Middle Corridor.


"The U.S.-Azerbaijan Charter also focuses on energy investment
and AI and digital partnerships, including the development of AI
data centers. USTDA tools can help realize new infrastructure
projects in these and other sectors. Our recent meetings in Baku
were primarily focused on the energy and digital infrastructure
sectors, where, together with critical minerals, we see the
greatest potential for collaboration with Azerbaijan’s public and
private sectors.


This focus on infrastructure stems from our Agency’s mission. We
are the U.S. government’s first mover on critical infrastructure
development abroad. USTDA funds the upfront planning that
accelerates the preparation of infrastructure projects including
feasibility studies, technical assistance and pilot projects. These
are the crucial steps that turn promising ideas into bankable
infrastructure projects that benefit our partners and create export
opportunities for U.S. companies," he added.


He went on to add that the USTDA is excited and actively
engaging with Azerbaijan to find ways to support increased
commercial ties between the two countries.


"USTDA staff have already visited Azerbaijan twice in the last
two months and we are actively planning a third USTDA mission to
Azerbaijan in April. The signs are indeed positive for USTDA to
bring to bear its early project planning tools and
partnership-building activities. USTDA’s core objective is to
catalyze the deployment of trusted, world-class American
infrastructure to advance the priorities of both the United States
and our overseas partners. That means generating new opportunities
for U.S. companies to engage in infrastructure projects that are
also a focus for Azerbaijan. In Azerbaijan, we are seeing
especially prominent opportunities in the energy and digital
infrastructure sectors, and we also want to explore potential
projects in expanding transportation connectivity for critical
minerals," noted the USTDA regional director.







Kress pointed out that Azerbaijan is blessed with abundant
energy resources, making U.S. cooperation in that sector an obvious
starting point.


"Azerbaijan is obviously already a leader in the oil and gas
industry, which holds great promise for more cooperation, and we
have a shared interest in working together to explore civil nuclear
power development or new pipeline infrastructure. This energy
abundance also offers opportunities for U.S. companies to deploy
technologies that can facilitate the build out of Azerbaijan’s
digital infrastructure with data centers, AI sector, and
communications links, since Azerbaijan has the abundant, reliable
energy supplies that are foundational to s these industries. U.S.
companies are second to none in the energy and digital sectors,
which means there are excellent opportunities to explore for
working together," he said.


The regional director noted that the U.S. companies are
well-positioned to engage in the country.


"In February, USTDA joined the first ever U.S. Chamber of
Commerce trade mission, which drew a very large delegation of
leading U.S. companies and has already generated multiple leads for
follow up. USTDA also joined the U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of
Commerce’s fantastic September 2025 trade mission focused on
logistics and transportation opportunities. Activities like these
are exactly what is needed to help facilitate increased commercial
engagement between our countries."


He noted that local partnerships are key to fostering commercial
relationships in Azerbaijan and the region, and USTDA’s tools are
specifically designed to cultivate such partnerships.


"USTDA’s project preparation activities, like feasibility
studies and front-end engineering and design studies, connect U.S.
experts with Azerbaijani developers to support their priority
projects and pave the way to long-term partnerships on other
projects. As one example, USTDA will invite Azerbaijani civil
nuclear sector leaders to participate in an event later this year
on civil nuclear power development in Europe and Eurasia. The event
will introduce them to American technologies, connect them with
potential U.S. suppliers, and provide opportunities for them to
highlight upcoming Azerbaijani civil nuclear development plans.
Events like these lead to successful partnerships and
deal-making.


Another USTDA capability is our reverse trade mission tool,
which bring delegates from countries such as Azerbaijan to the
United States to meet with U.S. companies and government officials.
These can be an excellent avenue to creating enduring partnerships
for targeted sectors," Kress concluded.