American Economist Sachs backs 3+3 format ‘for peace’ in S.Caucasus in Tbilisi forum

American economist Jeffrey Sachs has voiced support for enhanced cooperation among South Caucasus countries through the 3+3 format, stressing that sustainable development in the region hinged on lasting peace and regional integration.

Speaking at the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development titled “The Role of Peace in Sustainable Socio-Economic Development” in Tbilisi, Sachs called for Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan to overcome divisions and pursue deeper ties in key sectors such as tourism, energy, agriculture, and transport.

“These three countries are interconnected - they have disagreements, yes - but they will rise and fall together,” Sachs said.

Jeffrey Sachs, a professor at Columbia University and President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, further emphasized that peace among Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan was “essential” for unlocking the region’s economic potential. “With war or hostility among these nations, the functioning of the region’s economy is impossible,” he said. “The South Caucasus thrives only through unity.”

He pointed to the 3+3 regional format - which potentially involves Georgia [as it has refused to join it so far], Armenia, and Azerbaijan with Russia, Turkey, and Iran - as a promising framework for peace and development.

“Russia, Turkey, and Iran - three civilizational countries with long histories in the region - now see the South Caucasus not as a zone of conflict, but as a vital component of their own economic well-being,” Sachs said. “We are not in a time when the Russian Empire, Ottoman Empire, or Persian Empire are clashing. We can have a 3+3 formula and avoid the South Caucasus being a pawn in the West's game.”