WASHINGTON, U.S., March 11. The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (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, 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.
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.
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 added.