An international conference titled “The United States–Azerbaijan Trade & Business Agenda: Connecting Markets–Building Future,” marking the 30th anniversary of the U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce, was held in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States.

The conference was attended by representatives of the White House, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Azerbaijani government officials, and senior representatives of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM), the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA).

Addressing the opening ceremony, Natig Bakhishov, Executive Director of the U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce, highlighted the establishment of the Chamber and its achievements over the past 30 years, noting that today the two countries reaffirm their commitment to the future.

Reza Vaziri, Chairman of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, said that after Azerbaijan gained independence, relations between the United States and Azerbaijan began to take shape, with a clear vision to build bridges between the two countries, strengthen the private sector, and develop long-term economic relations.

Khazar Ibrahim, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to the United States, emphasized that the Chamber was established with the support of Heydar Aliyev, the National Leader of Azerbaijan. He noted that the Chamber’s mission is to study and promote broader economic and business cooperation between the two countries and to complement their political relations.

Jeffrey Kessler, Under Secretary for Industry and Security at the U.S. Department of Commerce, stated that relations between the two countries are stronger than ever, noting that U.S. exports to Azerbaijan have increased by 54 percent over the past year.

Reggie Singh, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy and Critical Minerals at the U.S. Department of State, said that relations between the two countries have reached an unprecedented level thanks to the historic peace summit held between Donald Trump and Ilham Aliyev on August 8.

Rovshan Najaf, President of SOCAR, noted that the company is interested in gaining access to and acquiring stakes in projects in the United States, adding that active discussions are underway with several U.S. partners.

Samad Seyidov, Chairman of the Committee on International Relations and Inter-Parliamentary Ties of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan, underlined that the positive dynamics observed in bilateral relations represent only the beginning of the path the two countries will build together.

The event continued with panel discussions covering various aspects of bilateral relations, with the participation of representatives of federal agencies, business leaders, and Azerbaijani officials.