The TRIPP Implementation Framework (TIF)

On January 13, Ararat Mirzoyan and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met in Washington. The main topic of the talks was the implementation of the "Trump Route for Peace and Prosperity" (TRIPP). The key outcome of the negotiations in Washington was the final approval of the framework program, which explains how the project will be implemented. The document itself was presented the day after the meeting, and the “Caucasian Knot” publishes it without abbreviations:

The TRIPP Implementation Framework (TIF)

This document outlines the implementation framework for the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP). This framework does not impose, nor does it intend to impose, any legal commitments or obligations on the United States or Armenia.

OVERVIEW

On August 8th in Washington D.C., the President of the United States witnessed the Prime Minister of Armenia and the President of Azerbaijan sign the Joint Declaration, which established a basis for opening communications for intra-state, bilateral, and international transportation. This TRIPP Implementation Framework (TIF) outlines in further detail how the TRIPP will be established and furthers the goals of the Joint Declaration.

The TRIPP is intended to establish unimpeded, multimodal transit connectivity on the territory of Armenia, contributing to regional peace, stability, and integration on the basis of respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and jurisdiction of the states. While connecting the main part of Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and creating a vital link in the TransCaspian Trade Route, it is expected to generate reciprocal benefits for international and intrastate connectivity for the Republic of Armenia.

Through the TRIPP, the United States seeks to:

• Build progress on the August 8th Joint Declaration towards a durable peace
• Open communication, trade, and connectivity in the South Caucasus to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the region
• Enhance market access and critical supply chains in the Trans-Caspian region
• Provide an example of peace through prosperity to the rest of the world

Through the TRIPP, Armenia seeks to:

• Enhance Armenia’s role as a regional transit and economic hub
• Attract foreign investment in Armenian infrastructure
• Build institutional capacity in modern border management and trade facilitation
• Generate sustainable revenue streams and off-take rights for Armenia
• Strengthen strategic partnership with the United States
• Facilitate regional integration and normalization
• Extend Armenia’s export potential to new markets

The TRIPP is expected to benefit the United States through:

• Opening new markets for American investment, business, and goods
• Connectivity for trade across the region to bring raw materials, critical minerals, and rare earth metals to American markets
• Increased trade route options between the United States and Europe and Asia, ensuring that people and goods can travel regardless of geopolitical changes

 The TRIPP is expected to benefit Armenia and the Armenian people through:

• Employment – opportunities to employ qualified Armenian citizens
• Joint ventures – opportunities between international and Armenian firms
• Technology transfer – capacity building for Armenian businesses
• Training – skills development for Armenian workforce
• Reinvestment into the region

COMMITMENT TO SUCCESS

 Armenia’s Commitment

Armenia is committed to TRIPP’s success as a strategic initiative that serves its national interests. Armenia intends to take the following steps:

• Provide full cooperation and support to the TRIPP Development Company
• Ensure efficient coordination across Armenian government agencies
• Facilitate timely permits, approvals, and regulatory processes
• Maintain open communication with U.S. partners
• Work toward regional normalization to enable TRIPP’s full potential
• Develop differentiated processes for persons, vehicles, and goods, including between the main part of Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic in both directions, on the basis of all Armenian laws, regulations, and international agreements and in line with international standards.

Conditions for Success

 The United States and Armenia recognize that the TRIPP’s success depends on:

• Further institutionalization of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan
• Progress towards Armenia-Türkiye full normalization
• Sustained U.S. engagement
• Regional cooperation and stability
• Effective capacity building in Armenian institutions

Strategic Partnership

TRIPP represents a deepening of the strategic partnership between Armenia and the United States. Armenia views this project as a foundation for long-term cooperation on infrastructure, economic development, and regional integration.

 ESTABLISHING THE TRIPP DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

 The TRIPP is to be developed within designated transit routes in Armenian territory, in locations to be detailed in the future, while maintaining Armenia’s full sovereignty over all project areas within Armenia’s sovereign territory. The TRIPP Development Company, with U.S. controlling stake and Armenian oversight of reserve matters, is intended to ensure the development and implementation of the TRIPP infrastructure.

 Armenia intends to authorize and facilitate the establishment of the TRIPP Development Company. The company is expected to be responsible for the development of the TRIPP and is expected to be granted the right to development for an initial term of 49 years. Armenia intends to offer the United States a 74% share and to hold itself a 26% share in the TRIPP Development Company. This arrangement is expected to be extended for an additional term of 50 years with a grant of additional equity to the government of Armenia bringing its share to 49%. The change of the TRIPP Development Company’s shareholders (including sale, donation of the shares, merger, demerger, reorganization, or any other legal or factual act) and ultimate beneficial owners is expected to be subject to the prior consent of the Governments of the United States and Armenia.

 Armenia and the United States plan to work together on the corporate structure of the TRIPP Development Company. The structure is expected to reflect the following objectives: 1) U.S. and Armenian governments’ involvement in particular key decisions and issues related to the operation of the multimodal transit route; and 2) financial return to the U.S. for its initial contribution or other economic benefits to the U.S. government or for U.S. companies.

 Decisions that touch on certain sensitive issues covered by specified reserve matters are expected to be resolved jointly through a U.S.-Armenia Steering Committee.

 The TRIPP Development Company is expected to directly implement any TRIPP rail and road projects and is envisioned to have subsidiaries or special purpose vehicles for other components of the TRIPP.

 Armenia’s stake in the TRIPP Development Company reflects its contribution of the following:

• Land use (development) rights within the transit routes
• Existing infrastructure assets (subject to further discussions)
• Regulatory facilitation and streamlined permitting
• In-kind contributions related to border and customs infrastructure
• Cash investments as determined appropriate

 Each country intends to designate a senior government official as the primary coordinator for TRIPP implementation, responsible for inter-ministerial coordination and serving as the main point of contact with the TRIPP Development Company.

 GRANT OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS

Armenia intends to provide the TRIPP Development Company the exclusive right to:

• Plan, design, develop, construct, operate, and maintain multimodal transit infrastructure within designated transit routes
• Establish Special Purpose Vehicles for specific infrastructure projects
• Contract with construction firms, operators, and service providers
• Generate and collect revenues from infrastructure operations
• Manage the TRIPP route as part of an integrated system

 Development rights may cover but not be limited to:

• Rail infrastructure – railways, terminals, stations, rolling stock facilities
• Road infrastructure – highways, roads, bridges, tunnels
• Energy infrastructure – electrical transmission, oil pipelines, gas pipelines
• Digital infrastructure – fiber optic networks
• Supporting infrastructure – administrative facilities, utilities, safety and security systems in accordance with Armenian law

 The TRIPP Development Company may collect and retain revenues from various sources to include but not limited to:

• Infrastructure access fees
• Commercial activities within the transit route
• Property rent and development
• Service charges
• Revenue shares from Special Purpose Vehicles

Armenia explicitly retains:

• Legislative, regulatory, and judicial authority due to full sovereignty and territorial integrity over all TRIPP areas within Armenia’s sovereign territory including the ability to enforce laws and regulations in line with Armenia’s domestic laws and international agreements
• Control over national security and law enforcement
• Authority over border control and customs for trade and transit through the TRIPP
• Authority over taxes, customs duties, and other mandatory fees on trade and transit
• Right to access all areas within Armenia’s sovereign territory
• Authority to enforce all Armenian laws within the parts of the transit route in Armenian sovereign territory

SPECIAL PURPOSE VEHICLES (SPVs)

The TRIPP Development Company is expected to establish separate legal structures for major infrastructure components in addition to directly implementing any TRIPP rail and road components pending additional study and analysis. Each structure is expected to have governance, financing, and operational models suited to the specific infrastructure type and strategic considerations. All SPVs are expected to initially be founded by the TRIPP Development Company, with the understanding that private sector investment opportunities may be discussed in later stages on a case-by-case basis.

BORDER SECURITY AND CUSTOMS 

Fundamental Principles

Armenia’s sovereignty and jurisdiction over border and customs operations are absolute and nonnegotiable. All border and customs activities are expected to operate according to internationally 4 recognized standards for border management while upholding the principles of the August 8th declaration using a front office-back office operating model.

Integrated Border Management

Armenia intends to further develop and implement modern Integrated Border Management (IBM) practices, which may be supported by U.S. technical assistance, including:

• Risk-based inspection and clearance procedures
• Advanced screening technologies
• Digital customs and border systems
• Coordinated inter-agency processes
• Professional capacity building for Armenian officers

 Pilot Projects

Armenia intends to conduct pilot projects to optimize:

• Customs preclearance procedures
• Digitized documentation and processing
• One-stop border post concepts
• Technology-enabled risk assessment
• Coordinated border management with neighboring countries

“Front Office – Back Office” Operating Model

To enhance efficiency while maintaining Armenia’s sovereignty and jurisdiction, TRIPP is expected to employ a “front office – back office” model, using digital tools to facilitate unimpeded connectivity.

Front Office (Third-Party Operators)

It is intended that private operators contracted by the TRIPP Development Company will provide customer-facing services:

• Initial document collection for verification
• Information and guidance to users
• Fee collection and payment processing on trade and transit. Taxes, customs duties, and other mandatory fees of the Republic of Armenia shall be remitted directly to the state budget of the Republic of Armenia in accordance with the applicable legislation and fiscal procedures
• Facilitation and coordination
• Administrative support

Back Office (Armenian State Authorities)

Armenian customs and border officials exercise all sovereign authority – in line with Armenian domestic law and international agreements.

• Final customs decisions and clearances
• Security screening and enforcement
• Immigration control
• Law enforcement actions
• Permits and authorizations
• Inspection and examination

Clear Lines of Authority

• Front office operators facilitate; they do not decide
• Armenian officials maintain a physical presence in all Armenian border and customs facilities
• No outsourcing of sovereign functions

Customs Procedures Armenia will further develop and implement:

• Risk-based selectivity – advanced cargo screening with focused physical inspections,
• Transit regime – efficient procedures for goods in transit with appropriate sealing and tracking
• Pre-arrival processing – electronic submission and processing of documentation
• Single window systems – integrated platforms for trade documentation
• Harmonized procedures – alignment with international customs standards

Security Operations

• Armenia retains full authority in Armenian sovereign territory
• Infrastructure security plans must be approved by Armenian security authorities
• Armenian authorities have primacy in all emergency situations
• Private operational security personnel may be employed subject to Armenian licensing

Data Systems and Sovereignty

• Modern IT systems will be deployed for border and customs management
• All government data systems remain under Armenian sovereign control
• Data sharing with foreign authorities requires appropriate legal frameworks
• Cybersecurity standards will meet international best practices
• Personal data processing complies with Armenian law

 Training and Capacity Building

The United States intends to facilitate, subject to the availability of appropriated funds, comprehensive training and capacity building for Armenian border and customs personnel, including:

• Modern customs techniques and procedure
• Technology systems operation
• Risk assessment and intelligence analysis
• Professional integrity and ethics
• International exchange programs