Armenia and Azerbaijan agree landmark internet transit deal in peace process
Armenia and Azerbaijan have signed an agreement to transit internet traffic through each other's territories, marking a new step in the peace process and aiming to diversify connectivity routes in the South Caucasus.
The telecommunications operators of Armenia and Azerbaijan have finalized a significant agreement to transit internet data through each other's infrastructure. The deal is seen as the next step in the ongoing peace process between the two neighboring countries. Its purpose is to enhance the reliability and resilience of regional connectivity and to support the development of telecommunications networks across Eurasia.
In nearly identical statements, the operators Telecom Armenia and AzerTelecom stated that as leading transit operators in the region, they are expanding the number and geography of countries supplying international internet traffic. Telecom Armenia confirmed it is now transiting traffic through its own infrastructure to Azerbaijan, while AzerTelecom said it ensures transit of internet traffic to Armenia using its own networks. Both companies emphasized that such agreements aim to diversify connection routes in the region, further increase the reliability of telecommunication networks, and develop cooperation in the telecommunications sector.
AzerTelecom, a major backbone internet provider in the region, announced the development of the so-called Digital Silk Way project. This project will create a new digital corridor between Europe and Asia, including a fiber-optic cable under the Caspian Sea, to connect multiple regions and improve global data exchange capacity.
In another sign of developing Azerbaijani-Armenian cooperation, a further shipment of over 400 tonnes of fertilizers was delivered from Russia to Armenia on Tuesday via Azerbaijan's transit routes. In total, more than 14,000 tonnes of diesel and over 4,000 tonnes of petrol have been exported from Azerbaijan to Armenia, while over 32,000 tonnes of grain, more than 7,000 tonnes of fertilizer, and smaller quantities of aluminum, buckwheat, and anthracite have passed from Russia to Armenia through Azerbaijani territory.
