USTDA Looking At Developing Critical Infrastructure Projects In Azerbaijan Regional Director (Exclusive Interview)

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) ** 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.

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