New York:The 7th Caspian Business Forum, themed 'Connectivity, Finance and Energy along the Middle Corridor,' was recently held in New York. Organized by the Caspian Policy Center, the event coincided with the 81st session of the UN General Assembly and gathered officials, diplomats, business representatives, and experts from the United States, Azerbaijan, and other regional countries.

According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, Efgan Nifti, CEO of the Caspian Policy Center, highlighted Azerbaijan's role in expanding the regional format from C5 to C6 by participating in the Central Asian Consultative Meetings at the Tashkent Summit last year. This expansion was a significant topic during the forum.

Peter Andreoli from the US Department of State emphasized the progress between Azerbaijan and Armenia, noting it opens up new economic opportunities. He also mentioned the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project as a potential key link in the Middle Corridor.

Yalchin Rafiyev, Azerbaijan's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, discussed the benefits of effective regional connectivity, including shorter and more predictable trade routes for Azerbaijan, resilient supply chains, and expanded market access.

The forum featured various speakers, including Lasha Darsalia, Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister; Mark Cameron, a US Department of State official; Erzhan Kazykhan, representative of the President of Kazakhstan for negotiations with the US; Berris Ekinci, Turkish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; U.S. Congressman Abraham J. Hamadeh from Arizona; Kimberly Harrington, Head of U.S. International Affairs at bp America; and Jamshid Ehsani, Head of Global Principal Structured Finance at Apollo Global Management.

The discussions underscored the Caspian region's growing strategic significance, focusing on aligning government policies, societal priorities, and private-sector interests to achieve sustainable economic growth, supply chain stability, and seamless regional integration.