Thanks to Azerbaijan’s resolute position and actions, the South Caucasus is transitioning from decades of persistent instability toward genuine prospects for peace and cooperation, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said during a high-level event held in Baku on the sidelines of the World Urban Forum 13, AzerNEWS reports.

Speaking at the session titled “Cities at the Center of Connectivity: Urban Reconstruction and Regional Cooperation,” Bayramov said the end of the long-standing conflict and the full restoration of Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity has fundamentally reshaped regional dynamics. He argued that this shift has removed a key security threat while opening new opportunities for trade, connectivity, and economic development across the South Caucasus. He also stressed that the ongoing normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia provides a strong foundation for mutually beneficial regional cooperation.

The minister recalled the 2025 Washington Peace Summit as a historic milestone, noting that the joint declaration signed by Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders, witnessed by U.S. President Donald Trump, marked the beginning of a new phase of trust-building and economic cooperation. According to Bayramov, Azerbaijan remains committed to advancing a comprehensive, sustainable, and irreversible normalization process.

However, he underlined that reconstruction in the liberated territories continues to face major challenges, particularly the threat of landmines. Bayramov said mines remain the biggest obstacle to rebuilding infrastructure, agricultural development, and the safe return of displaced people. He noted that official estimates indicate more than 1.5 million mines and unexploded ordnance remain in these areas, with hundreds of civilians and demining personnel having already been killed or injured. He described demining as a national priority and a precondition for long-term stability and regional connectivity.

Beyond security concerns, Bayramov emphasized Azerbaijan’s broader reconstruction and connectivity strategy. He said new railways, highways, energy infrastructure, and digital networks are integrating post-conflict areas into wider regional and global systems. These investments, he noted, enhance mobility, trade, tourism, and employment while strengthening interdependence and stability between Asia and Europe. Azerbaijan, he added, continues to actively promote multimodal connectivity initiatives, including the Middle Corridor and the North–South transport route.

He also highlighted the Washington Declaration’s role in laying the groundwork for the new “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP),” which is expected to ensure unhindered transport links between mainland Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan while strengthening East–West connectivity. The project is envisioned to include railways, highways, energy pipelines, electricity lines, and fiber-optic cables. He further pointed to key regional railway links, including Horadiz–Aghband and Turkey’s Kars–I?d?r line, as complementary infrastructure strengthening regional integration.

In addition, Bayramov outlined Azerbaijan’s expanding vision beyond traditional transport corridors, including green energy transmission lines, renewable energy infrastructure, and digital connectivity initiatives under the “Digital Silk Way” concept. He said the goal is to establish a new telecommunications corridor between Europe and Asia.

The minister concluded that Azerbaijan will continue promoting dialogue, partnership, and practical cooperation to position cities as hubs of sustainable connectivity, economic growth, and resilience. He said stronger cross-border cooperation and integrated urban planning can transform cities into platforms not only for trade and development, but also for peace and shared prosperity.

The UN-Habitat-supported forum, running in Baku from May 17 to 22, brings together governments, experts, and stakeholders from around the world to discuss sustainable urban development under the theme “Housing for All: Safe and Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements.”