Bryza says 'important' to attract investment to liberated areas to strengthen peace in region

By winning the 44-day war, Azerbaijan has regained its territories that had been under Armenian occupation for almost three decades, said Matthew Bryza, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, former US Ambassador to Azerbaijan, and international expert.

Bryza was speaking in the Azerbaijani pavilion as part of Expo 2020 Dubai.

The former US ambassador noted that these lands were not used for agricultural purposes during occupation, which means that this soil can be cultivated for growing large volumes of various crops. According to him, this will ultimately help attract investments to Azerbaijan.

According to Bryza, such inflows would be crucial in strengthening and ensuring the resilience of the November 2020 peace through investment, agribusiness, and other sectors that will fuel economic growth and new forms of economic cooperation.

The expert said that Azerbaijan and Armenia are in the process of normalizing their relations, holding high-level meetings to define an international border and to develop infrastructure and other projects that will attract investments.

Bryza voiced hope that normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations will ensure the reopening of transportation all over the South Caucasus.