The unblocking of connections in the South Caucasus will open up Armenia’s “economic lungs,” according to Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan.
In an interview with Armenpress, Papoyan discussed the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) connectivity project envisioned under the U.S.-brokered Armenian-Azerbaijani declaration, also known as the Washington Accords.
Minister Papoyan stated that several delegations are expected to visit Armenia soon — including a U.S. delegation, as well as a Turkish delegation led by Serdar Kılıç, Turkey’s Special Representative for Normalization with Armenia.
“We are, in fact, in the practical phase. The process of Armenia becoming a transport hub is now underway. The residents of Meghri and Kapan can see every day how the new North-South road is being built through the mountains,” he said.
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The American delegation will carry out on-the-ground assessments, he added. “And we will enter a practical phase that will result in Armenia transforming into a global transport hub,” he said.
The unblocking of connectivity will open Armenia’s “economic lungs,” the minister emphasized.
“Not only is Armenia landlocked, but 75% of its land borders are closed,” Papoyan said, highlighting the country’s ability to achieve economic growth despite these limitations.
Amid various assessments of the potential economic growth resulting from unblocking, the minister said they have commissioned a study on the matter.
“We also have a study indicating that the prices of many imported products will drop significantly. There are goods Armenia must import, and these are quite expensive due to logistical challenges.”
