https://azertag.az AZERTAC - Azerbaijan State News Agency https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_received_newly_appointed_ambassador_of_kenya_to_azerbaijan_video-4492464 Tue, 03 Nov 2026 12:14:00 +0400 Baku, November 3, AZERTAC On November 3, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Jonah Maina Mwangi, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kenya to Azerbaijan.The ambassador presented his credentials to the head of state.President Ilham Aliyev fondly recalled the visit of Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto to Azerbaijan, as well as his meetings with him both in Azerbaijan and on the sidelines of international events.Highlighting the positive state of political relations between the two countries, President Ilham Aliyev noted that these ties create broad opportunities for expanding cooperation in other areas, including the economy and trade. He also emphasized the significant potential for bilateral cooperation across various fields.President Ilham Aliyev wished the ambassador success in his diplomatic activities.Thanking the head of state for the reception, the ambassador noted that bilateral relations had developed in recent years. He said he would spare no effort, in line with the instructions of both heads of state, to further strengthen cooperation.Jonah Maina Mwangi stressed the importance of reciprocal visits at various levels in expanding bilateral cooperation.The sides also exchanged views on prospects for cooperation between Azerbaijan and Kenya in various fields. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_received_newly_appointed_ambassador_of_laos_to_azerbaijan_video-4492413 Tue, 03 Nov 2026 11:56:00 +0400 Baku, November 3, AZERTAC On November 3, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Siphandone Oybouabouddy, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to Azerbaijan.The ambassador presented his credentials to the head of state.President Ilham Aliyev noted that the ambassador was presenting his credentials shortly after the official visit to Azerbaijan by President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith last month. Describing the visit as very successful, the Azerbaijani President said that discussions had focused on strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation within international organizations, reflecting the friendly nature of ties between the two countries.President Ilham Aliyev also highlighted Laos’ high-level participation in the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), held in Baku. He noted the growing international standing of CICA and emphasized the significance of Laos becoming a full member of the organization during Azerbaijan’s chairmanship. The head of state expressed gratitude to all member states, including Laos, for supporting the decision to extend Azerbaijan’s CICA chairmanship for another two years, describing this as a sign of respect for the country.President Ilham Aliyev wished the ambassador success in his diplomatic activities.Thanking the President for the reception, the ambassador conveyed the greetings and best wishes of Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith to President Ilham Aliyev.The Azerbaijani President expressed his gratitude for the greetings and kind words and asked the ambassador to convey his own regards to the Lao leader.The ambassador also said that the Lao President had once again expressed his gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev and the people of Azerbaijan for the hospitality extended during his official visit to the country. He also conveyed President Sisoulith’s official invitation to President Ilham Aliyev to visit Laos.The ambassador said he would spare no effort to further develop bilateral cooperation during his tenure.The sides also exchanged views on the prospects for bilateral relations. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/first_vice_president_mehriban_aliyeva_watched__quotthikra_night_of_remembering_production-4490487 Sun, 01 Nov 2026 23:40:00 +0400 Baku, November 1, AZERTACOn November 1, the production "Thikra: Night of Remembering" was performed at the Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theater as part of the Baku International Arts Festival (BIAF-2026).First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva, along with her family members, watched the performance."Thikra: Night of Remembering", the latest work by acclaimed director and choreographer Akram Khan, was commissioned by Wadi AlFann, a global destination for contemporary art based in Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia.Created in collaboration with award-winning visual artist Manal Al-Dowayan, Akram Khan Company’s final touring production draws on the ancient landscapes, mythology and cultural heritage of Al-Ula.Through sacred rituals and shared recollections, an all-female ensemble transcend the boundaries of time, bridging past and present to invoke an act of spiritual renewal. The production features an original score by Indian-American singer and composer Aditya Prakash.The visual aesthetics of the play were created by "Wadi AlFann" artist Manal Al-Dowayan, renowned for her large-scale multimedia installation featured at the Saudi Arabian pavilion during the 60th Venice Biennale.In the Thikra project, the artist blends traditional craftsmanship with contemporary forms. Natural dyes mirror the color palette of the desert, while geometric motifs rooted in Al-Ula’s heritage highlight the symbolic role and significance of each character.The production draws on the ancient landscapes, mythology and cultural heritage of Al-Ula. The site-specific world premiere of the play was presented in January 2025. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyevs_social_media_accounts_shared_weekly_summary_of_his_activities_video-4490460 Sun, 01 Nov 2026 22:36:00 +0400 Baku, November 1, AZERTACA video summarizing President Ilham Aliyev’s weekly activities was shared on his official social media accounts.AZERTAC presents the video. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_watched_fifa_u_15_world_cup_and_festival_final_attended_award_ceremony_video-4489101 Fri, 30 Oct 2026 19:55:00 +0400 Baku, October 30, AZERTACOn October 30, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev watched the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival final at Baku Crystal Hall.Spain defeated Czechia 3–0 in the final to secure the title at the inaugural edition of the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival.The head of state attended the ceremony to present awards to the winners. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/first_vice_president_mehriban_aliyeva_attended_performance_of_the_seagull-4487415 Thu, 29 Oct 2026 23:17:00 +0400 Baku, October 29, AZERTAC On October 29, the Maly Drama Theatre – Theatre of Europe from St. Petersburg, Russia, presented its interpretation of Anton Chekhov’s play The Seagull at the Azerbaijan State Academic Musical Theatre as part of the Baku International Arts Festival (BIAF 2026).First Vice-President of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva attended the performance alongside her daughter Leyla Aliyeva and Alena Aliyeva.Directed by Lev Dodin, a recipient of major Russian theatre awards, including the Golden Mask, the production is regarded as one of the most acclaimed interpretations of the classic play.The set and costume designer is Alexander Borovsky.The cast includes Sergey Kuryshev, People’s Artist of Russia, and Honored Artists Elizaveta Boyarskaya and Igor Chernevich, among others.This is the second edition of the Baku International Arts Festival. Running until November 8, the festival is organized with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture. BIAF 2026 features more than 20 events, including concerts, ballet and theatre performances, film screenings, meet-and-greet sessions with artists, and masterclasses.The festival brings together artists and creative ensembles from Azerbaijan, the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Russia, the United States, France and other countries. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/first_vice_president_mehriban_aliyeva_congratulated_turkish_people_on_republic_day-4485750 Thu, 29 Oct 2026 09:48:00 +0400 Baku, October 29, AZERTAC First Vice-President of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva shared a post on her social media accounts congratulating the Turkish people on the occasion of Republic Day of Türkiye.The post reads: “I sincerely congratulate the Turkish people on Republic Day!”       https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_offered_condolences_to_spanish_prime_minister_over_train_accident-4485627 Wed, 28 Oct 2026 22:16:00 +0400 Baku, October 28, AZERTAC President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has offered condolences to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over the tragic train accident that claimed the lives of dozens of people.The head of state made a post on his X account in this regard.The post says: “Deeply saddened by the tragic train accident in Spain. I extend my heartfelt condolences to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, the families of the victims, and the people of Spain. I wish a swift recovery to all those injured.” https://azertag.az/en/xeber/7th_world_forum_on_intercultural_dialogue_commenced_in_baku_president_ilham_aliyev_attended_the_opening_ceremony_video-4481205 Tue, 27 Oct 2026 20:32:00 +0400 Baku, October 27, AZERTAC The opening ceremony of the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, themed “Dialogue for a Shared Future,” was held in Baku on October 27.President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the event.The ceremony began with a family photo.The President of Azerbaijan delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. Speech by President Ilham Aliyev - Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I greet all the participants of the 7th Forum. Special greetings to all our guests. Welcome to Azerbaijan. We have more than 2,000 registered participants, including more than 500 foreign guests, coming from more than 100 countries. These figures actually demonstrate that the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue has really transformed over these 15 years into one of the most efficient and inclusive platforms to address the issues of intercultural relations, and not only. Because traditionally at the forums we talk about urgent issues on the global agenda. I remember very well the first forum, which was organized back in 2011 at our initiative. We are very grateful to our partners, primarily the UN Alliance of Civilizations, for supporting this initiative and supporting us throughout all these years. Many things have changed since that time.Of course, at every forum, which is held every second year, we talk about what is of concern to all of us. Of course, the issues related to intercultural and interreligious relations are at the top of our agenda. Azerbaijan has historically always been multicultural.We are situated between Europe and Asia. For centuries, Azerbaijan was a cultural bridge between Asia and Europe. The traditions of multiculturalism, religious and ethnic tolerance are values that our people have lived by throughout the centuries and that we highly value. One of the main reasons for the successful and stable development of Azerbaijan is harmony in our society. Representatives of all ethnic groups and all religions not only enjoy the same rights according to our Constitution, but also live as one family. We really enjoy a very high level of solidarity, mutual respect, and mutual understanding. We are all united around our national ideas. One of them is Azerbaijanism, which embraces all the peoples of Azerbaijan. This unity was demonstrated in the most challenging times of our independent history. During the times of Armenia’s military aggression and occupation, during the times of the Second Garabagh War, representatives of all the ethnic groups and all the religions fought as one “Iron Fist,” which was actually the symbol of our victory, in order to defend our identity and defend justice and to restore our territorial integrity.So this tremendous demonstration of unity once again demonstrates the status of our society. And again, if we didn't have this real platform of inclusiveness, of mutual respect between all the peoples who inhabit Azerbaijan, we would never have been able to succeed. We are very proud that we managed to preserve these values throughout the centuries.For many centuries, Azerbaijan was deprived of its statehood, though we had very big traditions of statehood in previous centuries, but during the last couple of centuries we were not independent. But we managed to preserve our values, our language, our traditions, our lifestyle, regardless of the system in which we had to live. And we lived in different systems, as you all know.But nevertheless, none of the systems under which we had to live was able to suppress our national feelings and our spirit. And that's why when Azerbaijan restored its independence, and by the way, this month we celebrated the 35th anniversary of the restoration of our independence, we became the masters of our own destiny. And what the guests see today in Baku and in other parts of Azerbaijan was mainly created during the times of independence.When we became the owners of our own fate, then we demonstrated to the whole world what we can achieve. And also one of the important achievements is that during these years of independence we not only preserved our traditions and our lifestyle, but we strengthened them. And today, the Azerbaijani society is demonstrating unity on all the issues.As I said many times, we do not have any internal risks in Azerbaijan. All the potential risks are coming from beyond our boundaries. And ideological risks are as dangerous as physical risks. Therefore, we must always be alert, we must be very committed to protecting our identity, our statehood, our independence, and our lifestyle. During these 35 years of independence, we had different times, but we have always believed that we will achieve our goals. For the absolute majority of these years, our main goal was the restoration of our territorial integrity, and the liberation of the lands occupied by Armenia. For many years, as many of you know, negotiations did not lead to any result. Actually, the negotiation format was designed in such a way that the conflict was not supposed to be solved, but was supposed to be frozen. It seems that the main powers in the world had a consensus on that, but their miscalculation was only about what the people of Azerbaijan thought, what Azerbaijan's government planned.We were not supposed to live as an occupied country, as a people whose elementary human rights were violated forever. We've been at negotiations with all sincerity and hopes, but when we saw that this process was leading nowhere, we resolved the issue, taking into account our legitimate rights, including the UN Charter and Article 51, the right to self-defense. We defended ourselves. We defeated the enemy. We liberated our territories, which had been under Armenian occupation for 30 years. We restored justice. We restored our dignity and international law. We solely implemented United Nations Security Council resolutions, which were adopted in 1993 and which demanded immediate, unconditional, and full withdrawal of Armenian troops from our territories, but they remained on paper for 30 years. The Second Garabagh War of 2020 and the anti-terror operation of 2023 put an end to occupation. We fully restored our territorial integrity and sovereignty, in line with international law norms. After that, we offered Armenia peace. And this is also unprecedented. If you look at the history of wars, probably we will not see a case in which, less than two years after the last bloody clash, countries come to peace.The peace agreement, which was initialed last summer, was prepared by us. We were the initiators of the peace agreement with Armenia. Because we did not want eternal wars, and we did not want to take revenge. Though I think emotions should also be taken into account. I always say that we took revenge on the battlefield, and we should not go further. Because otherwise it will be an endless war. Today, when we see new wars emerging, almost every year, we see that it is very difficult to end a war. It's very easy to start, but very difficult to end. And also very difficult to win. So I think Azerbaijan's experience, when we won the war, and the war was just, and when the defeated side capitulated, and after that, we didn't go further, we stopped when it was the time to stop, and offered peace. So I think this experience should be examined by those who are at war now. And they do not know, probably, how to stop them. So I think our experience will be very valuable in order to see which of the precedents we have established can be used to address some conflicts. Yes, it's true that all conflicts differ from each other, but the basis of all conflicts is the same. It's ambitions, it's aggression, it's a feeling of superiority, it's a feeling that you will not be punished for what you do to those whom you attack. Unfortunately, sometimes conflicts last forever. In our case, the conflict lasted for 30 years, but we put an end to that. As I said, we did everything in line with international law. One issue which should also be taken into account is the mechanism for implementing decisions of international organizations. Now, many people talk about reforms of the United Nations. I don't want to go into much detail, but I think one of the important issues should be the mechanism for implementing UN Security Council resolutions. We've been in this situation, as I said, for 30 years. The UN Security Council adopted four resolutions which demanded the liberation of Azerbaijani lands. They were not implemented. There was no mechanism of implementation. There have been no sanctions imposed on Armenia. Now we see sanctions when we look right and left. When you look from Azerbaijan to the north and the south, you see hundreds of sanctions. But Armenia was not sanctioned, and it's a question of double standards. It's nothing more than double standards. We always fought and will continue to fight against double standards in politics. This is one of the important elements of our foreign policy. Because we suffered from that and still continue to suffer from that. Of course, today's suffering maybe is a very harsh word. It's not actually suffering, because we already achieved what we wanted, and we live freely on our land. But nevertheless, the double standard policy should be totally eliminated from international politics. Our society has zero tolerance for double standards.And also, this is reflected not only in, for instance, addressing the different wars and conflicts. As I say, Armenia occupied almost 20% of our internationally recognized territory, conducted a policy of ethnic cleansing, which led to the deportation of a million Azerbaijanis from their historical lands, destroyed our religious and historical monuments, including 65 mosques in Garabagh, and was not sanctioned and was not punished. So this is a double standard.But double standards are not only about that. A double standard is also when someone wants to teach you how to live. Though before doing so, you should look into the mirror and ask yourself, “Do you have a moral right to lecture someone, to teach someone, to lecture an independent country on how to live, what to do, and what not to do?” We never do it. We concentrate on our homework. What is happening in other countries is a matter of the peoples of these countries. It's none of our business. So we expect the same attitude towards us, and we achieve it. Any sign of disrespect, any sign of baseless feelings of superiority, and baseless feelings that one can dictate something to us have been and will always be met with our resistance and a very firm approach. So I think if the international community agrees on these basic rules of international behavior, then there will be fewer conflicts, fewer problems, and more interaction.At least that's how we see it. Plus, in order to give you a more comprehensive picture, I also want to say that what has been achieved in Azerbaijan in these 35 years was achieved by the people of Azerbaijan. We didn't have any international assistance, and we came from devastation, occupation, endemic poverty towards progress, towards development, towards success.Today, if you look at Azerbaijan's foreign policy or economic performance or its role on the global energy and the transportation markets, you will see that the role of Azerbaijan is growing tremendously. And in many cases, Azerbaijan is considered an anchor of stability in the unstable region. And also, our independent policy generated a lot of respect for us. Just several facts I want to bring to your attention. Our international contacts demonstrate that we really managed to present ourselves as a trusted and respected member of the international community. We have already established strategic partnerships with two superpowers. In 2025, a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Declaration was signed between us and China. The declaration with China was signed in April, while the Strategic Charter with the United States was signed in August 2025. So with two superpowers, Azerbaijan is in a strategic partnership format. With 10 members of the European Union, we have strategic partnership declarations or agreements. Next year, we will host the Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and we'll be chairing this important international organization, which unites almost 60 countries. We consider it a sign of respect for our policy, our attitude to our religion, our traditions, our values. In 2028, we will be hosting the Summit of the European Political Community. It's a kind of format which has existed for only four years, and the summits have been held only since 2022. So in 2028, it will be Baku. So in the European Political Community, there are also more than 50 countries. So in one city, in one country, these two important global events take place. So this is a demonstration of the respect we have, and also, once again, it is also driven by what we will discuss these days, intercultural dialogue.Azerbaijani society and the state's policy of multiculturalism, of building bridges, not walls, really led to this important development. This month, we hosted the Summit of CICA, which is the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, which unites almost 30 countries. And our chairmanship in CICA was unanimously extended for two more years. Last year, Azerbaijan was invited as a full member of the Central Asia Consultative Format. So this format unites the countries of Central Asia. Azerbaijan geographically is not part of Central Asia. We are situated in the Caucasus, but we've been invited as a full member in recognition of our role in different aspects and also as a sign of respect. So all this, really, just all these facts, nothing more than that, really demonstrate the role we play and the international potential we have. Of course, our experience in putting an end to wars, I think, should be thoroughly examined. If we add to this picture our economic performance, very low foreign debt, which is slightly more than 5% of our GDP, which is the lowest, probably one of the lowest in the world, the role we play on the global energy market as a reliable supplier of energy to international markets, and the role we play in connectivity, especially now when connectivity and transportation have become one of the top items on the international agenda. And here also, if you look at the map, it's difficult to bypass Azerbaijan. Especially when you add to the map infrastructure, investments, modern infrastructure plus political infrastructure. Because in order to play a role on the connectivity track, you have to have good relations with your neighbors and with the neighbors of the neighbors, and this is what happens. So our economic potential, active foreign policy, and inclusive society and traditions of multiculturalism and intercultural dialogue, all these factors create a synergy that allows us to be optimistic. But nevertheless, we live in an unpredictable world where, as I already said, conflicts start and never end. Therefore, of course, we need to always be very attentive to potential risks and protect ourselves from any potential complications. I'm sure that these and many other important issues will be broadly discussed at the forum. Once again, I express my gratitude to all the participants, especially to our foreign guests for coming to Baku. These forums are being held every second year with only one exception during COVID. There was a certain break, but now we're back on track. I remember the last forum, 2024, when we also discussed important issues of the global agenda. But in these two years, we see how many things have changed in both positive and negative directions. Among the negative developments are new wars next door to us. Among the positive developments is peace with Armenia, which was actually initialed last August. And it's very symbolic where it was initialed. It was initialed in Washington, in the White House, in the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump. Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers put their signatures, not under a peace agreement, but it was initialed in front of the President of the United States. And a trilateral Declaration was also signed, and the American President signed it as a witness. So we managed not only to restore justice, to liberate our territories, to create an absolutely new situation in the South Caucasus, which never existed in the history of independent South Caucasian countries, but also to put a stamp on that in the White House.I wish you a pleasant stay in Baku. Once again, thank you for being with us, and I wish the forum success. Thank you for your attention. x x x The event continued with speeches by other participants. Addressing the event, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), who also serves as the UN Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, said:“Your Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, thank you very much, as always, for your inspiring commitments, ideas and vision. We thank you for inviting us to this crucial forum. I would also like to express my gratitude to Ms. Leyla Aliyeva.Distinguished religious figures, Excellencies, esteemed guests, dear friends,It is a great pleasure to be in Baku once again. I express my sincere gratitude to Your Excellency President Ilham Aliyev and the Government of Azerbaijan for bringing us together once again within the framework of the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue. The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, together with UNESCO, ICESCO and UN Tourism, is proud to continue its long-standing partnership with the Ministry of Culture in supporting this vital platform. This seventh forum coincides with the 15th anniversary of the first World Forum, held here in 2011.”Miguel Ángel Moratinos also noted that an International Youth Forum had been organized in Guba.“The event that began in Guba will continue today and tomorrow at the Heydar Aliyev Center. This demonstrates how intercultural dialogue can serve as a subject of discussion while simultaneously bringing together peoples of different cultures and religions,” he said.Emphasizing the contribution of the Baku Process to international cooperation, he added:“In 2008, the Baku Process brought together representatives of governments, civil society, international organizations and young people from various countries. The proposals put forward at that time have already evolved into new partnerships. This represents our new philosophy and Azerbaijan’s philosophy of promoting peace. Azerbaijan has extended its hand to foster intercultural cooperation throughout the region. This is also one of the key themes of the seventh forum.” x x x Expressing his gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for Azerbaijan’s contributions to intercultural dialogue, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), said: “It is a great pleasure for me to join you today in the beautiful city of Baku for the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue. First and foremost, I would like to thank President Ilham Aliyev for his hospitality and the excellent organization of this event.The issue of building bridges in a fragmented world is, of course, exceptionally important. This contributes to strengthening peace around the world, and I express my gratitude to Azerbaijan for its efforts in this regard.Distinguished President, esteemed participants,I would like to note that the Baku Forum has brought together people from various regions of the world. We are doing, and must continue to do, everything in our power to ensure peace, security and stability on a global scale.Indeed, Islamic values and interfaith coexistence are upheld at a very high level in Azerbaijan. Mr. President, on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, I once again express my gratitude to you for Azerbaijan’s contributions to intercultural dialogue.” x x x Alexandre Zouev, Acting Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), expressed his pleasure at attending the opening of the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue. Thanking President Ilham Aliyev and the Government of Azerbaijan for their contribution to promoting dialogue through the Baku Process, he said:“It is a great honor for me to join you at the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue. I am very pleased to address this important forum once again. I am personally grateful to His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev and the Government of Azerbaijan for their warm hospitality and their efforts to promote dialogue within the framework of the Baku Process.”Alexandre Zouev highlighted the importance of protecting religious and cultural sites from terrorist attacks. He also emphasized Azerbaijan’s commitment to safeguarding religious heritage and promoting interfaith dialogue.“The UN’s global programme helps protect religious and cultural sites, as threats to these sites often transcend communities, creating fear and discrimination in societies. Protecting these sites is therefore essential to preserving the willingness and capacity of communities to coexist peacefully.“Given the importance Azerbaijan attaches to religious heritage and interfaith dialogue, this work is particularly relevant to the country. We are striving to strengthen cooperation between the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism and the Republic of Azerbaijan,” he said. x x x Emphasizing the importance of the Baku Process, Salim bin Mohammed AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), said: “President Ilham Aliyev’s continued support for the Baku Process has established a lasting international platform for intercultural dialogue. This forum calls on us to turn our commitments into concrete decisions and take steps to ensure the protection of human dignity.”Salim bin Mohammed AlMalik also highlighted Azerbaijan’s support for the development of education in various countries.“Azerbaijan’s support enables us to restore more than 100 schools and build 10 new ones in Syria. Through the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, we also support girls’ education in Burkina Faso and Niger,” he noted.The ICESCO Director-General recalled the visits of the organization’s technical missions to Garabagh and East Zangezur, noting the destruction of cultural heritage witnessed there as a result of the occupation.Speaking about the importance of the ICESCO–Azerbaijan Natavan Heritage Excellence Award, established with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, he said:“ICESCO’s two technical missions to Garabagh and East Zangezur witnessed the destruction of cultural heritage resulting from the occupation. Mr. President, I thank Azerbaijan for sustaining and supporting this platform. The success of this dialogue is measured precisely by this.” x x x Highlighting Azerbaijan’s efforts to bring together representatives of countries with significant differences at the CICA Summit held in Baku, Shaikha Al Nuwais, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, said: “When I met with Mr. Ilham Aliyev, he spoke about bringing representatives of different countries together around the same table and also discussed the CICA Summit. He noted that CICA is a very important platform for building trust in Asia.“Of course, agreement alone is not enough, which is why a Joint Declaration was also adopted. Differences remain, but despite them, the countries took a joint step forward.“Your Excellency, Mr. President, through the Baku Process, Azerbaijan has supported the challenging task of bringing countries and cultures together. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to you for creating the opportunity and providing a platform for us to meet and listen to one another. Common ground has been established, and this is where cooperation begins.” x x x Emphasizing the importance of cooperation between UNESCO and Azerbaijan, Åsa Regnér, Deputy Director-General of UNESCO, said: “It is an honor to participate in this forum in the beautiful city of Baku. I would like to express my gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for hosting the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue and for Azerbaijan’s longstanding cooperation with UNESCO.”Recalling the launch of a new initiative on intercultural digital competencies in Baku, she noted that it would integrate critical thinking and cultural awareness into digital education. She also highlighted efforts to engage young people in peacebuilding.Noting that UNESCO and Azerbaijan had worked together to establish the forum as a platform for intercultural dialogue, Åsa Regnér stressed:“UNESCO has done everything in its power to ensure that this forum becomes a platform for intercultural dialogue. We have worked towards this goal together with Azerbaijan and other countries. Today, we have an opportunity to turn this dialogue into concrete action and measures. This is a commitment we are making for the benefit of people.“UNESCO will continue working with Azerbaijan and all its partners to ensure that intercultural dialogue serves in practice as a solid foundation for peace among nations and peoples around the world.” https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_first_lady_mehriban_aliyeva_and_family_members_viewed_retrospective_exhibition_my_absheron__amp_more_video-4482621 Tue, 27 Oct 2026 16:19:00 +0400 Baku, October 27, AZERTAC President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, and their daughters Leyla Aliyeva and Arzu Aliyeva visited the retrospective exhibition “My Absheron & More,” dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Farhad Khalilov, a prominent artist, Chairman of the Union of Artists of Azerbaijan, and People’s Artist, at the Azerbaijan National Museum of Art on October 27.The exhibition was jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, the Azerbaijan National Museum of Art, and the Union of Artists of Azerbaijan. It features more than 90 works from the People’s Artist’s personal collection, created between the 1960s and the present day and ranging from monumental paintings to small-format graphic works.One of the prominent figures in Azerbaijani fine arts, Farhad Khalilov is known for his rich body of work, distinctive artistic style, and individual artistic vision. Working in various genres of easel painting, he combines different approaches, from realism to avant-garde and abstract art. His works stand out for their diverse forms of artistic expression, distinctive color schemes, and the emotional impact of the spaces depicted.Landscape painting, particularly the Absheron theme, occupies an important place in Khalilov’s work. Drawing on personal observations and impressions, he depicts Absheron’s natural environment, coastal landscapes, villages, changing weather conditions, and distinctive atmosphere through his individual use of color and light.For Khalilov, Absheron is not merely a subject to depict but a central theme through which he expresses his feelings, thoughts, and worldview. Beyond their visual representation of place, his works also convey emotional depth.Graphics also occupy a significant place in the People’s Artist’s work. His graphic pieces, created in various formats and using different artistic approaches, demonstrate the breadth of his creative range and his exploration of form and composition. The exhibition traces the evolution of the Absheron theme in his work and the role it has come to play in his distinctive artistic language. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyevs_social_media_accounts_shared_video_on_the_opening_of_7th_world_forum_on_intercultural_dialogue_video-4482648 Tue, 27 Oct 2026 16:18:00 +0400 Baku, October 27, AZERTAC A video highlighting the opening of the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue has been shared on President Ilham Aliyev’s social media accounts.AZERTAC presents the video. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_received_icesco_director_general_video-4482240 Tue, 27 Oct 2026 14:20:00 +0400 Baku, October 27, AZERTAC On October 27, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Salim bin Mohammed AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO).The ICESCO Director-General congratulated the head of state on the successful holding of the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in Azerbaijan.Salim bin Mohammed AlMalik noted that President Ilham Aliyev’s speech at the Forum had generated great interest. He particularly highlighted the importance of other states drawing on Azerbaijan’s experience in ending wars amid ongoing conflicts worldwide. He also stressed the particular relevance of President Ilham Aliyev’s views on the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states in contemporary international relations.Expressing gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for his continued support for the organization’s activities and voluntary financial contributions, Salim bin Mohammed AlMalik noted that ICESCO faced important tasks ahead. He emphasized that Azerbaijan’s support for projects aimed at developing education in Muslim member states was highly appreciated.In this context, Salim bin Mohammed AlMalik highlighted cooperation with Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and underscored the significance of humanitarian and educational projects implemented in Muslim countries with her support.President Ilham Aliyev praised the cooperation between Azerbaijan and ICESCO, emphasizing that Azerbaijan consistently strives to strengthen Islamic solidarity.Noting that Azerbaijan would host the Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation next year and assume the organization’s chairmanship, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that the country would continue to support the activities of both the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and ICESCO.The meeting also featured an exchange of views on issues on the agenda of cooperation between Azerbaijan and ICESCO. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_received_secretary_general_of_un_tourism_video-4480737 Mon, 26 Oct 2026 18:55:00 +0400 Baku, October 26, AZERTAC On October 26, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Shaikha Al Nuwais, Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism).Shaikha Al Nuwais expressed her gratitude to the President for the reception.During the meeting, the sides praised the cooperation between Azerbaijan and UN Tourism and discussed state support for tourism development in Azerbaijan, as well as the creation of modern tourism infrastructure in the regions beyond the capital. They noted that these efforts, together with the prevailing peace and security in Azerbaijan, are of great importance for tourism development, adding that the country is an attractive destination for tourists.The meeting also included an exchange of views on prospects for further cooperation. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_of_azerbaijan_ilham_aliyev_received_oic_secretary_general_video-4479693 Mon, 26 Oct 2026 15:53:00 +0400 Baku, October 26, AZERTAC On October 26, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).President Ilham Aliyev highlighted the importance of Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed’s visit to Azerbaijan following his election as OIC Secretary-General, describing it as a reflection of the strong partnership between Azerbaijan and the OIC. The head of state noted that Azerbaijan had always been an active member of the OIC and emphasized that this commitment would continue in the future. Recalling that numerous political, economic and sporting events had been held in Azerbaijan within the framework of the organization, President Ilham Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan would host the OIC Summit next year and that preparations for the event were already underway.President Ilham Aliyev also recalled that the Islamic Solidarity Games had been excellently organized in Azerbaijan.The head of state said that Azerbaijan would continue to spare no effort to contribute to strengthening Islamic solidarity, promoting mutual understanding between religions and cultures, and advancing security and stability.Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed thanked the President for the reception and for his support for the activities of the OIC. He expressed satisfaction at choosing Azerbaijan as one of his first destinations following his election as Secretary-General. Noting that he had visited Azerbaijan several times previously, the OIC Secretary-General highlighted the development he had witnessed in the country and extended his congratulations on its achievements.Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed stated that, as OIC Secretary-General, he would step up efforts to work with Azerbaijan to further strengthen the organization’s international influence and promote Islamic solidarity.Expressing his respect for the memory of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, the Secretary-General recalled the National Leader’s contributions to expanding relations between Azerbaijan and the OIC. He also highlighted Azerbaijan’s vital role in the Islamic world and in strengthening Islamic solidarity.Noting that Azerbaijan had fully restored its sovereignty and territorial integrity, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed congratulated the head of state on the upcoming Victory Day. He also expressed support for the Azerbaijani President’s efforts to establish peace in the region.During the meeting, the sides discussed media cooperation within the framework of the OIC, stressed the importance of joint efforts by member states to combat disinformation, and exchanged views on projects to be implemented during Azerbaijan’s chairmanship. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_received_un_office_of_counter_terrorism_representative_alexandre_zouev_video-4479843 Mon, 26 Oct 2026 14:24:00 +0400 Baku, October 26, AZERTAC On October 26, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Alexandre Zouev, Acting Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT).During the meeting, the sides highlighted the effective partnership established between Azerbaijan and various UN bodies and exchanged views on issues related to Azerbaijan’s cooperation with the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism.Azerbaijan’s contributions to the global fight against terrorism were highly appreciated.The sides also emphasized that the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, scheduled to take place in Baku, would provide a valuable opportunity to discuss pressing global issues, noting that the event’s international prestige continued to grow year by year. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_of_azerbaijan_ilham_aliyev_received_un_high_representative_for_alliance_of_civilizations_video-4479759 Mon, 26 Oct 2026 13:57:00 +0400 Baku, October 26, AZERTAC On October 26, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Miguel Ángel Moratinos, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), who also serves as the UN Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia.Miguel Ángel Moratinos congratulated Azerbaijan on the upcoming World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, emphasizing that the event had become an important international platform for promoting intercultural and interreligious dialogue worldwide.Commending Azerbaijan’s support for the activities of the UN Alliance of Civilizations, Moratinos noted that the country played a vital role in promoting intercultural and interreligious dialogue at the international level.He also welcomed Azerbaijan’s active efforts to combat Islamophobia and its regular hosting of international conferences dedicated to the issue, adding that the UN Alliance of Civilizations supported the country’s efforts in this regard.Moratinos expressed his gratitude for Azerbaijan’s voluntary financial contributions to the UN Alliance of Civilizations.President Ilham Aliyev noted the longstanding and successful cooperation between Azerbaijan and the UN Alliance of Civilizations, affirming that the country would continue to support the Alliance’s work.The head of state emphasized the importance of the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue hosted by Azerbaijan in providing a platform to discuss pressing issues facing the international community and promote mutual understanding.During the meeting, the sides also exchanged views on prospects for further cooperation between Azerbaijan and the UN Alliance of Civilizations. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/first_vice_president_mehriban_aliyeva_congratulated_people_039s_artist_farhad_khalilov_on_his_80th_birthday-4479663 Mon, 26 Oct 2026 13:15:00 +0400 Baku, October 26, AZERTAC First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva has congratulated People's Artist Farhad Khalilov on his 80th birthday.The First Vice-President shared a post on her social media account on the occasion. The post reads:“On this day, Farhad Khalilov, People’s Artist and Chair of the Union of Artists of Azerbaijan, turns 80.Dear Mr. Khalilov!I wholeheartedly congratulate you on your 80th anniversary! I wish you robust health and long life! Thank you very much for your many years of dedicated work, your commitment to art, and your outstanding contributions to the visual arts of Azerbaijan, which are so rich in tradition! May the Almighty bless you and your loved ones!With deep respect and affection,MEHRIBAN”. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_of_azerbaijan_ilham_aliyev_received_dutch_foreign_minister_video-4479564 Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:50:00 +0400 Baku, October 26, AZERTAC President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Tom Berendsen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, on October 26.The head of state fondly recalled his meeting with former Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof in Copenhagen last year, noting that they had exchanged views on the prospects for cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Netherlands.President Ilham Aliyev expressed confidence that the Dutch foreign minister’s visit to Azerbaijan would be successful, describing it as a good opportunity to discuss cooperation in politics, diplomacy, the economy and investment.Thanking the head of state for receiving him, Tom Berendsen expressed the Netherlands’ interest in developing cooperation and noted that there were good opportunities to expand bilateral ties.The minister also expressed his gratitude for Azerbaijan’s assistance in evacuating Dutch citizens, including the Netherlands’ ambassador to Tehran and embassy staff, from the Middle East via Azerbaijan.The Dutch foreign minister emphasized that the Netherlands highly appreciated President Ilham Aliyev’s personal role in establishing peace and stability in the South Caucasus, noting that this was of great importance not only for the region but also for Europe.The sides also exchanged views on the prospects for bilateral relations.They commended the successful operations of Dutch companies in various sectors in Azerbaijan and discussed opportunities to expand cooperation in transport, logistics, the Baku International Sea Trade Port, agriculture and other areas.The meeting also addressed ways to further develop economic and trade relations between Azerbaijan and the Netherlands, including through the organization of mutual visits, particularly by business delegations.It was emphasized that Azerbaijan attached particular importance to the development of its agricultural sector and was implementing large-scale state programmes in this field. In view of the Netherlands’ advanced expertise in agriculture, the sides noted that there were favourable opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation in this area. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyevs_social_media_accounts_shared_video_on_fifa_u_15_world_cup_and_festival_hosted_in_baku_video-4478496 Sun, 25 Oct 2026 02:16:00 +0400 Baku, October 25, AZERTACA video highlighting the opening ceremony of the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival hosted in Baku was shared on the official social media accounts of President Ilham Aliyev.AZERTAC presents the post.The official opening ceremony of the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival was held at the Baku Crystal Hall on October 24. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, their family members, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino watched the ceremony.The match held following the opening ceremony between the Azerbaijan and Timor-Leste national teams ended with a 6-0 victory for the Azerbaijani national team. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_watched_opening_ceremony_of_fifa_u_15_world_cup_and_festival_video-4478295 Sat, 24 Oct 2026 23:55:00 +0400 Baku, October 24, AZERTAC The official opening ceremony of the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival was held at the Baku Crystal Hall on October 24.President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, their family members, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended the ceremony.First, President Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, and their family members met with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and other guests.Gianni Infantino presented keepsakes to the head of state.The opening ceremony commenced with the performance of Azerbaijan’s national anthem.Afterwards, a video highlighting the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival was screened.Addressing the event, Deputy Prime Minister and Chair of the Organizing Committee Samir Sharifov welcomed the guests attending the opening ceremony of the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival among boys. He noted that Azerbaijan was hosting this major tournament, bringing together national teams from 189 countries.Emphasizing that Azerbaijan had partnered with FIFA in organizing the tournament, Samir Sharifov expressed his gratitude to the world football governing body for placing its confidence in Azerbaijan. He also expressed his appreciation to President Ilham Aliyev for ensuring that the FIFA U-15 World Cup among boys, being held for the first time in history, was organized within the shortest possible timeframe and in accordance with high standards. He also thanked the President for his leadership and decisive support in turning this concept into reality.In his remarks, FIFA President Gianni Infantino emphasized that the first FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival among boys united the world, noting that more than 3,000 footballers and official representatives were taking part in the tournament in Baku. He mentioned that, alongside the 189 teams participating in the tournament, volunteers and staff members would also contribute to the event’s success.Addressing the young footballers, the FIFA President called on them to enjoy the tournament, play fairly, respect their opponents, and respect the game.Gianni Infantino expressed his sincere appreciation to President Ilham Aliyev and the Organizing Committee for bringing the world together over the next seven days. He emphasized that, together with Azerbaijan, they would make history and that the event would be fantastic.Subsequently, the FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival was officially declared open.A video featuring the impressions of team members representing various countries was then screened.The event continued with an artistic program. X X X The head of state, the First Lady, their family members, and the FIFA President watched the match between Azerbaijan and Timor-Leste. The match ended in a 6–0 victory for the Azerbaijani national team. X X X Following the match, the head of state, the First Lady, and their family members met with the players of the Azerbaijani national football team.President Ilham Aliyev said:“I congratulate you once again. You have put in a great performance. Every single goal was magnificent, each better than the last. You demonstrated match combinations requiring great skill and professionalism. Therefore, you have brought joy to everyone.Of course, hosting such a prestigious tournament in our country is a major event. This will go down in history because it is the first such tournament. Until today, football championships of this scale have not been organized. The Azerbaijani team’s convincing victory in this opening match will therefore remain in history forever. Once again, congratulations. You have brought joy to our entire people. I wish you continued success. Thank you.”The footballers: “Thank you.” https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_presented_istiglal_order_to_peoples_artist_farhad_khalilov_video-4476357 Fri, 23 Oct 2026 15:05:00 +0400 Baku, October 23, AZERTAC On October 23, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev presented the “Istiglal” Order to People’s Artist Farhad Khalilov.Congratulating Farhad Khalilov, President Ilham Aliyev said:- Dear Mr. Khalilov, I sincerely congratulate you on your upcoming jubilee. I wish you robust health and continued success.For many years, you have delighted our people with your art and won their deep affection. Your works are exhibited in different parts of the world. Through your art, you portray the beauty of Azerbaijan and introduce our country to audiences around the world. For this, I would like to express my particular gratitude. Especially during the years of independence, you have played a major role in presenting Azerbaijan to the world as a modern country endowed with great talent. At the same time, through your mentorship of young painters, you have helped nurture a new generation of artists. Inspired by your works, they are now showcasing their own talents.In addition, for nearly 40 years, you have made an outstanding contribution as Chairman of the Union of Artists. You are also actively involved in our country’s public life. You have consistently demonstrated an admirable civic position on all matters, something our people know very well. Those who know you have great respect for you and speak of you with warmth, and I am no exception. We have known each other for more than 50 years, and throughout this time, our meetings have always been marked by warmth and joy.The Azerbaijani state highly values your work. You have been awarded several prestigious state decorations: the “Shohrat” and “Sharaf” Orders and the 1st Class “Labor” Order. Today, on the eve of your jubilee celebration, I am presenting you with our country’s highest state award, the “Istiglal” Order. Allow me to present it to you.The head of state presented the “Istiglal” Order to Farhad Khalilov.President Ilham Aliyev: Congratulations.Farhad Khalilov: Thank you very much, Mr. President. When designing the image of this order, I could never have imagined that I would one day receive it myself.President Ilham Aliyev: You designed it yourself. You are its author as well.Farhad Khalilov said: “Mr. President, allow me to express my profound gratitude to you for this recognition and for the honor bestowed upon me by our state. Thank you. Indeed, throughout my life, I have strived to remain loyal to our country and to do everything within my power to serve it, and I will continue to do so in the future. I would also like to take this opportunity to say that we have not met for quite some time. To be perfectly honest, I have missed you a little. I do write to you from time to time, however. But today, I want to say that, in a relatively short period of time, Azerbaijan has demonstrated to the entire world that it is a country to be reckoned with. This is truly a remarkable achievement, because not so long ago, many people did not even know about Azerbaijan or where it was located.”Emphasizing that President Ilham Aliyev had fulfilled the wishes of National Leader Heydar Aliyev by liberating the occupied territories and successfully carrying forward his policies, the People’s Artist said:“The Victory achieved in the 44-day war, along with your interviews, showed the world what Azerbaijan stands for and who Azerbaijanis are. Truly, this is beyond anything one could have imagined. Indeed, your abilities are an innate gift. Of course, it was our National Leader, a political figure of genius, who paved the way. He always took a keen interest in your development, even when you were young.My affection for you is boundless. I wish you continued good health. You look wonderful. Your greatest ally is Mehriban khanum. The bond between you, the way you complement each other as a team, is truly a gift of nature. I wish you and your wonderful children good health and happiness.”Referring to Leyla Aliyeva’s creative work and noting the great interest her artwork has attracted, Farhad Khalilov said:“Leyla khanum and I were in Ashgabat, where I told her sincerely that her works were the ones I admired most. She truly creates beautiful works of art. Leyla khanum spoke with great beauty and simplicity about love and devotion. Her remarks were truly wonderful! She also exhibited her works. I wish Arzu khanum and Heydar good health and success. Today, I am very happy to see you again, looking so energetic and in such excellent shape.”President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you very much, Mr. Khalilov. Thank you for your kind words. You spoke about the National Leader. Of course, he has always been an example to me and a role model throughout my life. I have always strived to ensure that my work would never disappoint him.I should also mention that our fathers worked together for many years. At that time, both held senior leadership positions in Azerbaijan. One could say that they were two of the country’s three top leaders. They enjoyed very sincere and friendly relations. You remember this, and so do I. I was a teenager back then, and you were a young artist.You see, it is these traditions that sustain us. Remaining loyal to our great leaders and carrying forward their work is a great honor. I am sure that their souls rejoice today. Azerbaijan is free, and all our lands have been liberated from occupation. Their children, too, have achieved great success in their respective fields. I can say that each has reached the highest level in their profession.Therefore, we are bound by a long and meaningful history—family ties, enduring warmth, and mutual respect. Through all the different periods we have lived through, these bonds have remained a truly precious asset.I sincerely love you. I have always held you in the highest regard as a great artist, a wonderful person, and a man of principle who is able to express and defend his convictions.Therefore, I wish you good health as well. You, too, mashallah, are looking very well. I hope you will always remain as energetic as you are today and continue to be the wonderful person and outstanding artist you are, bringing joy to our people through your art.Farhad Khalilov: Thank you very much. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_of_azerbaijan_ilham_aliyev_received_minister_of_external_affairs_of_india_video-4476054 Fri, 23 Oct 2026 11:40:00 +0400 Baku, October 23, AZERTAC On October 23, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of the Republic of India.The Minister first conveyed the greetings of Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the head of state. Recalling the meeting between the President of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of India in Bishkek, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said that he was visiting Azerbaijan on the instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the greetings and asked the Minister to convey his regards to the President and Prime Minister of India.The head of state fondly recalled his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bishkek and the exchange of views during that meeting. President Ilham Aliyev highly appreciated the visit of India’s Minister of External Affairs to Azerbaijan on the instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stressing its importance for discussing the current state and prospects of bilateral relations.During the meeting, the sides held an extensive exchange of views on the current state of relations between Azerbaijan and India, highlighting ample opportunities to develop cooperation in areas of mutual interest.The sides noted that Azerbaijan and India, as members of the Global South, share similar positions on a number of issues on the international agenda, including matters of concern to countries of the Global South. In this regard, they discussed prospects for bilateral cooperation in political, trade and economic, high-tech, cultural, humanitarian and other fields.The conversation also touched upon the importance of cooperation within international organizations. The sides emphasized the need to intensify political contacts and organize reciprocal visits at various levels, including exchanges involving economic and business delegations, to further advance bilateral relations. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/release_from_the_press_service_of_the_president-4473582 Wed, 21 Oct 2026 19:53:00 +0400 On October 21, President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a phone call to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. During the phone conversation, the heads of state discussed bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Türkiye, as well as regional and global issues.President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed confidence that cooperation between Azerbaijan and Türkiye, based on brotherly relations, would continue to reach new heights.The Turkish President once again congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on the 35th anniversary of the restoration of Azerbaijan’s state independence and invited him to attend the 13th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States, to be held in Ankara.President Ilham Aliyev thanked President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for the phone call and his congratulations on the 35th anniversary of the restoration of Azerbaijan’s state independence.In turn, President Ilham Aliyev expressed confidence that the brotherly relations between Azerbaijan and Türkiye would continue to develop successfully. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/release_from_the_press_service_of_the_president-4472724 Wed, 21 Oct 2026 14:08:00 +0400 On October 21, President of the Republic of North Macedonia Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova made a phone call to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. During the phone conversation, the heads of state exchanged views on the global energy situation, the challenges facing the sector, and possible ways to address them.They fondly recalled the official visit of the President of North Macedonia to Azerbaijan, noting that it had contributed to strengthening friendship and mutual understanding between the two countries.The Presidents agreed to continue and expand energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and North Macedonia. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyevs_social_media_accounts_shared_new_video_video-4470024 Mon, 19 Oct 2026 21:45:00 +0400 Baku, October 19, AZERTACA new video has been shared on President Ilham Aliyev’s official social media accounts.The post featured the following statement: “The peace is still fragile, and it needs to be protected and consolidated.” https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyevs_social_media_accounts_shared_weekly_summary_of_his_activities_video-4468113 Sun, 18 Oct 2026 21:54:00 +0400 Baku, October 18, AZERTACA video summarizing President Ilham Aliyev’s weekly activities was shared on his official social media accounts. AZERTAC presents the video. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/first_vice_president_mehriban_aliyeva_shared_post_on_day_of_restoration_of_independence-4467672 Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:42:00 +0400 Baku, October 18, AZERTACFirst Vice-President of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva has shared a post on her social media accounts on the occasion of the Day of Restoration of Independence.The post reads: “May Azerbaijan's state independence, sovereignty, and the peace and tranquility in our country be eternal!” https://azertag.az/en/xeber/video_on_patriotic_war_shared_on_president_ilham_aliyev_039s_social_media_accounts_video-4466772 Fri, 16 Oct 2026 20:27:00 +0400 Baku, October 16, AZERTAC A video highlighting the Patriotic War was shared on President Ilham Aliyev’s social media accounts. AZERTAC presents the post. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_received_newly_appointed_georgian_ambassador_to_azerbaijan_video-4465824 Fri, 16 Oct 2026 13:30:00 +0400 Baku, October 16, AZERTAC On October 16, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received George Zakarashvili, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to Azerbaijan.The ambassador presented his credentials to President Ilham Aliyev.President Ilham Aliyev fondly recalled his state visit to Georgia in April and the hospitality extended to him during the visit.Noting that Azerbaijan-Georgia relations have a rich history and a promising future, the head of state highlighted the successful development of friendly ties and strategic partnership between the two independent states, as well as the fraternal ties between their peoples.President Ilham Aliyev wished the ambassador success in his diplomatic mission.Expressing his gratitude for the reception, George Zakarashvili said that he felt greatly honored to be appointed ambassador to brotherly Azerbaijan and to meet with the head of state. He described the two countries as strategic partners and emphasized the close ties between their peoples.He underlined that, during his tenure, he would spare no effort to further strengthen the long-standing cooperation between Azerbaijan and Georgia.During the meeting, the sides welcomed the development of bilateral political relations and discussed cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, energy security, transport, communications, and other areas.They also discussed joint projects implemented by the two countries in the energy and transport sectors, noting their significance not only for the region but also globally. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_received_newly_appointed_indian_ambassador_to_azerbaijan_video-4465719 Fri, 16 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0400 Baku, October 16, AZERTAC On October 16, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Abhay Kumar, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of India to Azerbaijan.The ambassador presented his credentials to the head of state.Abhay Kumar stated that he would spare no effort to further develop bilateral relations.During the meeting, the sides recalled the contacts between President Ilham Aliyev and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit held in Bishkek in September.They highlighted the millennia-old historical and cultural ties between the Azerbaijani and Indian peoples and exchanged views on prospects for bilateral cooperation in various fields. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyevs_social_media_accounts_shared_video_on_inauguration_of_trans_caspian_fiber_optic_cable_line_video-4464936 Thu, 15 Oct 2026 21:12:00 +0400 Baku, October 15, AZERTACA video highlighting the meeting with President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and the official inauguration of the Trans-Caspian Fiber-Optic Cable Line in an online format was shared on the official social media accounts of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.AZERTAC presents the post. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/baku_hosted_7th_cica_summit__president_ilham_aliyev_addressed_the_event_video-4463163 Thu, 15 Oct 2026 20:34:00 +0400 Baku, October 15, AZERTAC On October 15, the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) was held in Baku.President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev welcomed the heads of state and government attending the event.Opening the summit, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said:- Esteemed heads of state and government,Distinguished heads of delegations,Ladies and gentlemen,I am pleased to welcome you to Baku for the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA). I express my gratitude to all of you for accepting our invitation. I declare the 7th Summit of Heads of State and Government of CICA open.First of all, we must approve the agenda. If there are no proposals, the agenda is approved.One of the items on the agenda is the decision on the accession of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to CICA as a member state. This is the third item on our agenda, and I propose that we adopt the decision on the accession of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to CICA as a member state.If there are no objections, the decision on the accession of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to CICA as a member state is adopted. Congratulations.The admission of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic as a new CICA member is an important event that demonstrates the Conference’s growing importance and its development as a more inclusive platform for dialogue in Asia. We highly appreciate that this has taken place during Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of CICA, at the Baku Summit.I congratulate His Excellency President Thongloun Sisoulith and all of us on the adoption of this decision.The next item on the agenda is the speeches by the heads of delegations. With your permission, I will be the first to speak in my capacity as the incumbent Chair of CICA. Speech by President Ilham Aliyev - Distinguished Heads of State and Government,Ladies and Gentlemen,Welcome to Azerbaijan.First and foremost, I express my gratitude to all Member States of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) for their unanimous support extended for Azerbaijan’s Chairmanship in 2024. We regard this as a sign of respect and trust, as well as a demonstration of support for our activities in chairing a number of international forums.Geographically located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, Azerbaijan plays an increasingly important role as a bridge across the Eurasian space. Our cooperation with many states in the political, economic, transport, energy and humanitarian spheres, within both bilateral and multilateral frameworks, in turn strengthens the security system in our region.Azerbaijan consistently pursues an independent foreign policy based on the principles of sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs, and the priority of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states.Azerbaijan actively and in a well-reasoned manner speaks out against the pernicious practice of application of double standards and selective approaches to the settlement of interstate conflicts. Since the restoration of its independence 35 years ago, our country has continuously faced such double standards. For 30 years, approximately 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized territory remained under Armenian occupation. Armenia committed military aggression against Azerbaijan, carrying out ethnic cleansing and expelling one million Azerbaijanis from their native historic lands, both in Garabagh and East Zangezur, as well as from the territory of present-day Armenia.In 1993, the United Nations Security Council adopted four resolutions demanding the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian forces from the occupied territories, but they remained on paper for 30 years. The OSCE Minsk Group, established in 1992 to resolve the conflict, engaged in imitation and aimed at freezing the conflict.The former leadership of Armenia – all three former presidents of Armenia and their accomplices, who are war criminals and baby killers – haven’t yet received the punishment they deserve. The current Armenian leadership continued the criminal policies of its predecessors from 2018. In 2019, the current Prime Minister of Armenia, speaking in the occupied Khankendi, in Garabagh, declared that “Garabagh is Armenia, and period.” The then Armenian Minister of Defense publicly threatened Azerbaijan with a new war for new territories. All this unbridled arrogance was tolerated by the so-called international community. No one condemned Armenia for its occupation, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and murder, and the desecration of the religious shrines of the Azerbaijani people. The UN Security Council did not insist on the implementation of the resolutions it had itself adopted. The OSCE remained indifferent. The European Parliament and the Council of Europe, two anachronisms and atavisms of international relations, constantly attacked Azerbaijan, the victim of aggression, while encouraging the aggressor – Armenia.The OSCE Minsk Group, which was established to resolve the conflict, was paralyzed by its co-chairs, who monopolized the issue and pursued coordinated policies of freezing the conflict.In July and August 2020, Armenia committed two military provocations, causing the deaths of Azerbaijani servicemen. At that point, the patience of the Azerbaijani people came to an end. And the time of reckoning came. The 2020 Patriotic War lasted 44 days. During this period, Azerbaijan liberated more than 300 cities and villages on the battlefield, expelling the Armenian occupiers from the occupied territories. On 10 November 2020, Armenia signed an act of capitulation. The war came to an end, but a part of Azerbaijan’s territory remained under occupation. For three years, Azerbaijan sought to resolve the issue of the full restoration of its sovereignty through peaceful means, but Armenia abused this respite as an opportunity to rebuild its forces and once again attack Azerbaijan, this time with the assistance of its new Western patrons. This is precisely what happened in September 2023. And once again, the “Iron Fist” of the Azerbaijani soldier spoke for itself. In less than 24 hours, the Armenian army’s expeditionary corps in Garabagh was completely defeated. Azerbaijan fully restored its sovereignty and territorial integrity and put an end to separatism. The leaders of the separatists, war criminals and baby killers were brought before the Azerbaijani court. In substance and in form, this was analogous to the Nuremberg Tribunal. But this time, it was the Armenian fascists who were in the dock. Those who threatened us that they would come to Baku on tanks, occupy Baku and drink tea here now drink Azerbaijani tea in our prisons, and their tanks are being displayed in the Military Trophy Park. By the way, our guests can visit the Victory Park, Victory Museum and Military Trophy Park to fully understand the nature and essence of the occupation and the historic victory of the Azerbaijani people.I have dwelled at length on this issue, because it is of global significance. Until mechanisms are developed to ensure the implementation of decisions and resolutions of the UN Security Council and other international organizations, wars and conflicts will continue, and new ones will emerge. Had sanctions been imposed on Armenia due to the occupation of our territories, the genocide and ethnic cleansing it had committed, Azerbaijan would not have had to break the backbone of Armenian fascism on the battlefield. The impunity of the aggressor only magnified its arrogance.War was not our choice. It was imposed upon us by Armenia, and its patrons apparently did not believe that Azerbaijan would restore its sovereignty and uphold international law by force. But they all miscalculated. Perhaps they did not know well enough the character of our proud and freedom-loving people guided by the laws of our traditions and moral values.We won the war and drove the occupiers from our lands, but we did not seek revenge for 30 years of suffering, for the genocide, or for the destruction of our cities and villages. We took our revenge on the battlefield. And we offered peace to Armenia. This once again demonstrated the character of our people. We did not strike at an enemy who was already down. We did not descend to the level of those barbarians and baby killers who inflicted so much suffering upon our people. We offered peace, and we have now been living in peace for a little more than a year. The peace is still fragile, and it needs to be protected and consolidated.Distinguished heads of delegation,Ladies and Gentlemen, During two years of its Chairmanship, Azerbaijan paid priority attention to strengthen the CICA and actively advanced cooperation in such areas as transport, connectivity, digitalization, environment, tourism, education, science and other fields. Thanks to various initiatives implemented with the unanimous support of all Member States, today CICA is institutionally and legally stronger, its membership has expanded, and it is capacity to facilitate dialogue and interaction to enhance security, economic growth and mutual understanding in its geography has been significantly strengthened. Taking this opportunity, I thank all Member States for their support to the idea of prolonging Azerbaijan’s CICA Chairmanship for another two years. I thank you for your attention. x x x Expressing gratitude for the high-level organization of the Summit, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that Kazakhstan appreciated Azerbaijan’s dynamic chairmanship of the organization:- Your Excellency, I express my sincere gratitude to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, His Excellency Ilham Aliyev, for the warm hospitality and excellent organization of the Summit. Returning once again to the marvelous city of Baku, which reflects ancient history and modern innovations, brings me genuine satisfaction. Under the strong leadership of President Aliyev, Azerbaijan has emerged as a beacon of progress in all spheres – whether in the economy or international relations. We appreciate Azerbaijan's dynamic chairmanship of the organization, aimed at strengthening CICA's potential as a unique platform for dialogue, trust, and comprehensive cooperation in this turbulent and unpredictable world. At the 6th Summit held in Astana in 2022, CICA member states agreed to transform the Conference into a full-fledged international institution. Azerbaijan's chairmanship is now carrying out this mission with great dignity, and we eagerly await the adoption of the CICA Charter as our roadmap.President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan were marking this important milestone by jointly launching the Trans-Caspian fiber-optic line running along the seabed of the Caspian Sea.The President of Kazakhstan said: "This unique Digital Silk Way project will ensure faster and safer data transmission across Eurasia, thereby strengthening Asia's digital potential and opening new opportunities for cooperation."Welcoming progress in relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Tokayev added: "We welcome the reconciliation achieved between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Following decades of deep disagreements, this rapprochement opens up new opportunities that create a gateway between East and West."Speaking about the Caspian Green Energy Corridor project, the Kazakh President stated: "Last year, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan laid the foundation for the Caspian Green Energy Corridor by signing the Agreement on Strategic Partnership in the field of green energy development and transmission. This corridor is designed to connect our electricity grids and deliver electricity to European markets via the Black Sea. Together with Azerbaijan, we intend to increase the transportation of Kazakh crude oil through the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline."Speaking about the proposal to establish an International Water Organization within the UN system, Tokayev noted that the initiative could be put forward jointly by the Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan, with all CICA member states invited to join.Wishing Azerbaijan success during its chairmanship of CICA, the Kazakh President emphasized: "Kazakhstan highly appreciates Azerbaijan's commitment and President Ilham Aliyev's personal attention to carrying out this honorable duty. We are ready to align with this sincere dedication. I am confident that the Baku Declaration we adopted today will serve as a solid foundation for future work. Kazakhstan stands firmly alongside Azerbaijan in this matter. Thank you very much."President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev said that he supported the candidacy of Azerbaijan's representative for the position of CICA Secretary-General and the Azerbaijani side's intention to extend its chairmanship of the organization until 2028. Wishing Azerbaijan success in fulfilling this responsible mission, he said: "Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, distinguished heads of state, heads of delegations, ladies and gentlemen. I am pleased to be once again on the hospitable Azerbaijani soil and to welcome all participants of the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia. First of all, I express my gratitude to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, esteemed Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev, for the warm reception and high-level organization of this event. Under your successful leadership, we sincerely rejoice in Azerbaijan's dynamic development, its growing prestige in the world, and the steady rise in the welfare of the brotherly Azerbaijani people. This evokes deep feelings of respect in us toward the country's leadership. We also highly appreciate Azerbaijan's chairmanship, thanks to which our dialogue within the CICA platform has become richer and more beneficial."President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon also expressed his gratitude for the high-level organization of the event, saying: "Your Excellency, my dear brother, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, esteemed Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev, I express my gratitude for the high-level organization of the Meeting, the very warm welcome, and the opportunity to be hosted here."President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov said that the Kyrgyz Republic was ready to provide the necessary support to Azerbaijan and contribute to joint efforts. He emphasized: "I express my gratitude to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, esteemed Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev, for the organization of our Meeting and the hospitality shown. I note with great pleasure the important contribution of the Azerbaijani side to the development of CICA's activities. I would like to welcome the initiative to extend Azerbaijan's chairmanship until 2028. This will allow for maintaining continuity in CICA's activities and strengthening mutual trust."President of the State of Israel Isaac Herzog, emphasizing that CICA had been further revitalized during Azerbaijan’s chairmanship, stated: “It is very fitting that we gather in Azerbaijan—a country synonymous with effective regional partnership, tolerance, confidence-building measures, and constructive development. Under the wise leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan has become an example of stability, achieving incredible economic growth and building close ties with countries in the region. At a time when global tensions are rising and trust in international cooperation is declining, Azerbaijan has been able to focus CICA’s attention on the most essential issues. These are constructive dialogue, sustainable partnership, and the pursuit of shared interests.”President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Thongloun Sisoulith, expressing gratitude for the warm hospitality, said: “I would like to convey my deep appreciation and gratitude to the people and Government of Azerbaijan for their hospitality and organization. Thank you very much for hosting us in this beautiful city of Baku. Furthermore, I wish to extend my sincere congratulations to His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev for hosting the 7th CICA Summit at a high level. The Laos-China railway, commissioned in 2021, has brought Laos closer to realizing this vision. This step was enabled by high-speed passenger transit and cross-border freight operations. Looking to the future, we wish to cooperate in extending this important railway network to Central Asia and the broader Eurasian region, particularly using Azerbaijan as a transit corridor.”President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, thanking Azerbaijan for organizing the Summit, stated: “Allow me, first of all, to express my sincere gratitude to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, esteemed Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev, for the excellent organization of this event, the hospitality shown, and the creation of favorable conditions for constructive work. We highly appreciate the results of the Republic of Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia. In this context, I would particularly like to note that Azerbaijan, as CICA Chair, has demonstrated firm commitment to its goals and objectives, showing determination and consistency in implementing measures aimed at developing interaction and strengthening trust. At the same time, it has actively contributed to the expansion of international cooperation.”Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia Hun Manet, emphasizing that his country fully supports the adoption of the Baku Declaration of the 7th CICA Summit, as well as the statement on cooperation in occupational safety and healthcare, stated: “I would like to express my deep gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev, the Government, and the people of Azerbaijan for the warm hospitality shown to my delegation. I highly appreciate Azerbaijan’s chairmanship and convey my congratulations on the extension of its CICA chairmanship for the 2026–2028 term. I also commend the CICA Chairmanship and Secretariat for the high-level organization of this event. The principles reaffirmed in the Baku Declaration—including respect for the UN Charter, international law, sovereign equality, territorial integrity, and the peaceful settlement of disputes—are not merely a wish, but an essential foundation for peace and stability.”Vice President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Vo Thi Anh Xuan, highlighting that her country highly values Azerbaijan’s CICA chairmanship, said: “I would like to express once again my gratitude to the people and Government of Azerbaijan for their warm and kind hospitality. Against the backdrop of challenges facing the region and the entire world, Azerbaijan makes a great contribution to the development of dialogue and cooperation. At the same time, it has contributed greatly to organizing this event. Taking this opportunity, I would like to welcome Azerbaijan as Chair once again. At the 7th CICA Summit, the Baku Declaration and the Statement on Cooperation, Health, and Occupational Safety were adopted. The theme of the Summit points to a practical path for development, promoting equal, transparent connectivity to reconcile interests. It also enables inclusive digitalization to expand opportunities and share the fruits of development to achieve common prosperity. All of this serves to further strengthen CICA.”Igor Sergeyenko, Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, welcoming the initiative to transform the Conference into a full-fledged international organization in the future, said: “Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, esteemed heads of delegations. On behalf of President of the Republic of Belarus Aleksandr Grigoryevich Lukashenko, I greet the participants of this event. I express my gratitude to the leadership of Azerbaijan for the warm hospitality and the excellent organization of the event. We welcome the initiative aimed at transforming the Conference into a full-fledged international organization in the future. Undoubtedly, Azerbaijan’s effective chairmanship has made a significant contribution to this process, and its chairmanship is set to continue for the next two years. Azerbaijan has taken on the leadership in implementing this proposal.”Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, also congratulating Azerbaijan on its achievements, stated: “During its two-year chairmanship, Azerbaijan has successfully promoted climate resilience and the transition to green energy. The Chinese side also supports the continuation of Azerbaijan’s chairmanship.” x x x The Summit continued with further remarks. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyevs_social_media_accounts_shared_video_on_7th_cica_summit_video-4464738 Thu, 15 Oct 2026 18:55:00 +0400 Baku, October 15, AZERTACA video highlighting the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) was shared on the official social media accounts of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.AZERTAC presents the post. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_met_with_amir_of_qatar_video-4464207 Thu, 15 Oct 2026 18:10:00 +0400 Baku, October 15, AZERTAC On October 15, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.President Ilham Aliyev thanked the Amir for participating in the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), expressing confidence that the event would contribute to expanding cooperation among member states.Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani thanked the Azerbaijani President for the reception and praised the excellent organization of the CICA Summit, noting that Azerbaijan had extensive experience in successfully hosting international events.The Amir also said that the development he had witnessed in Baku had made a deep impression on him.The President of Azerbaijan and the Amir of Qatar welcomed the development of relations between the two countries, exchanged views on prospects for cooperation, and discussed the activities of the intergovernmental commission. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/presidents_of_azerbaijan_and_kazakhstan_met_in_baku_and_inaugurated_trans_caspian_fiber_optic_cable_line_video-4464447 Thu, 15 Oct 2026 17:10:00 +0400 Baku, October 15, AZERTACPresident of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on October 15.During the meeting, the sides hailed the successful development of the strategic partnership and allied relations between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.The two leaders noted that their reciprocal visits make an important contribution to expanding bilateral cooperation.They highlighted the successful organization of the 7th CICA Summit in Baku, adding that the event had provided a good opportunity to discuss cooperation among countries in the Asian region.The two presidents exchanged views on issues on the bilateral agenda. x x x Subsequently, Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev officially inaugurated the Trans-Caspian Fiber-Optic Cable Line in an online format.The presidents were briefed on the project.Implemented by Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan under the “Digital Silk Way” initiative, the project creates new opportunities for digital connectivity between Asia and Europe. A cable line approximately 380 kilometers long has been laid along the seabed of the Caspian Sea between Sumgayit and Aktau. The line has a capacity of more than 400 terabits per second. With the line's commissioning, the Middle Corridor will gain strategic importance not only for transportation but also for digital connectivity. The new route will allow data from China and Central Asia to be transmitted to Europe via Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Georgia, and onward through the Black Sea or Türkiye. This will expand international data exchange capabilities and increase the resilience of digital communications. At the same time, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are becoming not only consumers but also providers of strategic digital infrastructure and services.The new line will help attract investment and support the development of artificial intelligence data centers, cloud services and computing capacity. This will create opportunities for developing new high-value-added high-tech industries and services. x x x The presidents of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan pressed a button to officially launch the project. x x x President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev then said:"This is undoubtedly a very important project that will evoke international resonance. But most importantly, it is a new type of corridor. This is indeed not just a transport corridor, but an innovation suited to modern times, the era of digitalization, and a completely new form of cooperation." President Ilham Aliyev said:"Yes. It is also another step in strengthening cooperation between Central Asia and Azerbaijan. Everyone is well aware that in November last year, Azerbaijan was admitted as a full member of the Consultative Meetings, and already this year, I recently participated as a full member of the community. This is yet another contribution to strengthening our cooperation, because this cable will be utilized by both the countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus, as well as across a broader geography. So today we have launched a global project."President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said:“Yes, this is the Middle Corridor in a digital form.” x x x Later, in the presence of the heads of state, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev and Kazakhstan’s Minister of Transport Nurlan Sauranbayev exchanged the signed Agreement on Cooperation in the Development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor). Rashad Nabiyev, in his capacity as chairman of the AZCON Supervisory Board, and Nurlan Zhakupov, chairman of the Management Board of Samruk-Kazyna JSC, exchanged a certificate confirming the acquisition of two dry cargo vessels between AZCON Holding and Samruk-Kazyna JSC. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_received_turkiyes_minister_of_foreign_affairs_video-4464228 Thu, 15 Oct 2026 16:21:00 +0400 Baku, October 15, AZERTAC On October 15, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye.During the meeting, the sides exchanged views on recent developments in Azerbaijan-Türkiye relations. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/dinner_hosted_on_behalf_of_president_ilham_aliyev_in_honor_of_participants_of_7th_cica_summit_video-4462626 Wed, 14 Oct 2026 22:47:00 +0400 Baku, October 14, AZERTACA dinner was hosted on October 14 on behalf of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in honor of the participants of the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).President Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, and their daughter Arzu Aliyeva attended the event. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_met_with_president_of_tajikistan_video-4462602 Wed, 14 Oct 2026 22:29:00 +0400 Baku, October 14, AZERTACOn October 14, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.President Emomali Rahmon expressed his gratitude to the head of state for the invitation to the Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and for the hospitality extended to him.During the conversation, the parties praised the friendly relations between the two countries, and exchanged views on opportunities for deepening multilateral cooperation.Both leaders discussed ways to further expand bilateral ties and strengthen cooperation within regional and international organizations. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_met_with_president_of_uzbekistan_video-4462506 Wed, 14 Oct 2026 21:56:00 +0400 Baku, October 14, AZERTAC On October 14, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.President Ilham Aliyev hailed the successful development of relations between the two countries and fondly recalled his state visit to Uzbekistan in August.The discussions focused on opportunities to further strengthen the strategic partnership and alliance, particularly through the implementation of agreements reached during the visit.Expressing his pleasure at visiting Azerbaijan, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that the development and progress of Azerbaijan were a source of joy for the brotherly Uzbek people.The President of Uzbekistan congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on Azerbaijan’s successful chairmanship of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and its hosting of the organization’s Summit, describing these achievements as a reflection of the country’s growing prestige.President Ilham Aliyev praised the effective cooperation between the two countries across various areas, noting the growth in bilateral trade turnover since the beginning of the year.The sides welcomed the successful implementation of projects in energy, mutual investment, construction, transport and logistics, light industry, geology, tourism and other fields, and stressed the importance of cultural and humanitarian exchanges.The heads of state also exchanged views on issues on the international and regional agendas. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_met_with_president_of_israel_video-4462278 Wed, 14 Oct 2026 19:08:00 +0400 Baku, October 14, AZERTAC On October 14, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with President of the State of Israel Isaac Herzog.During the meeting, President Isaac Herzog congratulated Azerbaijan on its chairmanship of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA). He described the extension of Azerbaijan’s chairmanship for the 2026–2028 term as a reflection of the high level of trust placed in the country and expressed satisfaction with this development.The Israeli President highly commended the work carried out during Azerbaijan’s chairmanship to expand practical cooperation and strengthen confidence-building measures within the framework of CICA.President Ilham Aliyev expressed gratitude for the positive assessment of Azerbaijan’s chairmanship. He emphasized that, as the chair, Azerbaijan continues its efforts to strengthen mutual trust and develop practical cooperation among CICA member states.During the meeting, the Presidents exchanged views on bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Israel, as well as on issues on the international and regional agendas. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_received_bahrains_minister_of_foreign_affairs_video-4462359 Wed, 14 Oct 2026 19:04:00 +0400 Baku, October 14, AZERTAC On October 14, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani.The Bahraini Foreign Minister conveyed the greetings of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to the head of state, noting that the King attaches great importance to relations with Azerbaijan.President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the greetings and asked the Minister to convey his regards to the King of Bahrain.The head of state highlighted the friendly and brotherly relations between the two countries, as well as their high-level partnership.President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that the visit of Bahrain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs to Azerbaijan provided a good opportunity to discuss various aspects of bilateral relations.Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on the extension of Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), commending Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of the organization.During the meeting, the sides exchanged views on prospects for cooperation between Azerbaijan and Bahrain in various areas. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_received_member_of_political_bureau_of_cpc_central_committee_video-4462356 Wed, 14 Oct 2026 19:03:00 +0400 Baku, October 14, AZERTAC President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, on October 14.President Ilham Aliyev recalled with satisfaction his state visit to China, his meetings with President Xi Jinping during the visit, and the adoption of the Joint Statement on Strategic Partnership between the two countries during the visit, noting that bilateral relations had thereby reached a new level.Recalling his previous visit to Azerbaijan and his meeting with the head of state, Wang Yi conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s greetings to President Ilham Aliyev.The head of state expressed gratitude for the greetings and asked Wang Yi to convey his greetings to President Xi Jinping in return.Referring to the Joint Statement on Strategic Partnership between Azerbaijan and China, adopted during President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to China, Wang Yi emphasized that China is a reliable and long-term partner of Azerbaijan.Saying that the development he had witnessed in Baku had left a deep impression on him, Wang Yi praised Azerbaijan’s successful and dynamic development under President Ilham Aliyev’s leadership and said that China, as a close friend of Azerbaijan, was sincerely pleased to see these achievements.Wang Yi noted that China had always supported Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, highlighting the country’s growing role in international and regional affairs.He congratulated Azerbaijan on its chairmanship of CICA and on hosting the organization’s summit.In response, President Ilham Aliyev thanked Wang Yi for his kind words, noted China’s dynamic development, and said that Azerbaijan highly appreciated China’s representation of the interests of the Global South and its support for sustainable development.The head of state emphasized that Azerbaijan had always supported the “One China” policy.President Ilham Aliyev also highlighted the importance of the “Belt and Road” Initiative, noting that Azerbaijan was among the first countries to support it.Noting the rapid development of the Middle Corridor, the head of state said that there were broad opportunities for cooperation between Azerbaijan and China in this area.Wang Yi emphasized Azerbaijan’s important role along the Middle Corridor.President Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan’s economic and trade relations with China were also developing actively, in line with the strong political ties between the two countries. In this regard, he highlighted the active involvement of Chinese companies in various investment projects in Azerbaijan.The sides also discussed cooperation in renewable energy and emphasized the two countries’ joint efforts to combat separatism, extremism and radicalism. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_met_with_vietnamese_vice_president_video-4462254 Wed, 14 Oct 2026 19:02:00 +0400 Baku, October 14, AZERTAC President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva met with Vice President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Vo Thi Anh Xuan on October 14.The head of state expressed his gratitude to Vietnamese Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan for taking part in the upcoming Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku. He noted that the visit also provided an opportunity to discuss bilateral issues on the agenda.Recalling his visit to Vietnam and the visit to Azerbaijan by To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, President Ilham Aliyev highlighted the importance of the discussions held during these visits and once again emphasized the strategic partnership between the two countries.The Azerbaijani President also expressed his gratitude to Vietnam for supporting the extension of Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of CICA.Vo Thi Anh Xuan thanked President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva for the reception and fondly recalled her previous visit to Azerbaijan and her meeting with the head of state.The Vietnamese Vice President congratulated Azerbaijan on its achievements, its successful chairmanship of CICA and its organization of the summit in Baku. She noted that her country highly appreciated Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of the organization.Highlighting the historical ties between Azerbaijan and Vietnam, Vo Thi Anh Xuan said that the adoption of a Joint Statement on the establishment of a strategic partnership during To Lam’s visit to Azerbaijan had played an important role in elevating bilateral relations to a new level.They also recalled the visits to Azerbaijan by President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Ho Chi Minh and the visits to Vietnam by National Leader Heydar Aliyev during his tenure in the Soviet leadership and by President Ilham Aliyev. They noted that this historical legacy played an important role in developing bilateral relations.The Vice President said that Vietnam highly valued Azerbaijan’s support for the country’s development after its struggle for independence, particularly in restoring the energy sector and training qualified personnel. She noted that this support had laid a strong historical foundation for cooperation between the two countries. She also fondly recalled that thousands of Vietnamese students had studied in Azerbaijan during the Soviet era.The meeting covered cooperation between Azerbaijan and Vietnam within international organizations and an exchange of views on prospects for cooperation in the economy, trade, transport and logistics, renewable energy, tourism, investment and the introduction of a visa-free regime, in line with the strong political ties between the two countries.Regarding energy cooperation, the sides noted the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and PetroVietnam and discussed ways to further expand their partnership.Vo Thi Anh Xuan expressed her gratitude for the humanitarian and cultural projects implemented in Vietnam by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, led by Azerbaijan’s First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva, and fondly recalled the visit to Vietnam by Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of the Foundation. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_received_sri_lankan_minister_of_foreign_affairs_foreign_employment_and_tourism_video-4462245 Wed, 14 Oct 2026 19:01:00 +0400 Baku, October 14, AZERTAC On October 14, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Vijitha Herath, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.Expressing gratitude for the invitation to the Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), the Sri Lankan Minister congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on hosting this prestigious event in Baku and on Azerbaijan’s successful chairmanship of the organization. He expressed confidence that the Summit would contribute to expanding cooperation among member states.President Ilham Aliyev thanked the member states, including Sri Lanka, for supporting Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of CICA. He noted that this support demonstrated the success of Azerbaijan’s chairmanship and reflected respect and trust in Azerbaijan.President Ilham Aliyev noted that the visit of Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism also provided a good opportunity to discuss bilateral cooperation.Vijitha Herath expressed gratitude for the humanitarian assistance provided by Azerbaijan to Sri Lanka during recent natural disasters.During the meeting, the sides highlighted the strong cooperation between Azerbaijan and Sri Lanka within international organizations, including the UN, the Non-Aligned Movement and CICA.They exchanged views on opportunities to expand economic, trade and tourism ties in line with the level of political relations. Noting that Sri Lankan students are currently studying in Azerbaijan, the sides also discussed prospects for cooperation in education. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/presidents_of_azerbaijan_and_laos_delivered_press_statements_video-4458789 Tue, 13 Oct 2026 17:58:00 +0400 Baku, October 13, AZERTAC President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Thongloun Sisoulith delivered press statements on October 13.The President of Azerbaijan made the statement first. Statement by President Ilham Aliyev – Esteemed Mr. President, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,First of all, Mr. President, allow me to once again welcome you to Azerbaijan.This is not our first meeting. We have met on several occasions on the sidelines of international events, and I extended an invitation to you to pay an official visit to Azerbaijan. I am very pleased and grateful that you accepted my invitation and are here in Azerbaijan today. I am confident that this visit will make a significant contribution to the development of our bilateral relations and further deepen cooperation between our countries.Today, in both our one-on-one meeting and the expanded-format meeting, we discussed many important issues and identified concrete steps to be taken. The Joint Statement adopted today sets out the framework for our future cooperation and identifies its key areas.As for our political relations, they have been developing successfully for many years. Diplomatic relations between our countries were established more than thirty years ago, and throughout this period, we have consistently demonstrated solidarity and mutual support in numerous international organizations. This remains true today, and I am confident that it will continue to be the case in the future.Interparliamentary ties are also developing. Friendship groups have been established in both countries, which is itself a clear indication of this progress. We cooperate successfully in this area, both bilaterally and within international interparliamentary organizations. Our ruling parties also maintain close cooperation, and a Memorandum of Understanding to this effect was signed several years ago.In other words, our political relations are developing very successfully. We would like to see similar progress in the economic sphere. Today, during our exchange of views, both sides agreed that the current volume of bilateral trade reflects neither our potential nor our intentions.Therefore, instructions were issued to intensify economic cooperation, including efforts to increase bilateral trade. I hope that the Laos–Azerbaijan Business Forum scheduled to take place in Baku will be an important step in this direction. We also plan to exchange relevant information. I informed Mr. President that, should the Lao side present specific projects to Azerbaijani investors, we would be very interested in examining them.Azerbaijan’s investments abroad are increasing year by year. Our financial capabilities enable us to expand the geographical reach of these investments. Investments amounting to billions of dollars demonstrate our capabilities while also bringing substantial benefits to the countries in which they are made. New jobs are created, and new industries are established.Therefore, we intend to pursue the same approach in our bilateral cooperation, provided that specific projects are presented to us, as I mentioned earlier.During our discussions, it was noted that more than two thousand students from Laos studied in Azerbaijan during the Soviet era. I proposed reviving this tradition. A scholarship mechanism has also been proposed for this purpose, and I am confident that we will see a growing number of Lao students studying in Azerbaijan in the coming years.Unfortunately, we also face a serious common challenge: landmines. Mr. President informed me that although several decades have passed since the war in Laos, people are still losing their lives and sustaining injuries as a result of landmines. I also noted that more than one million landmines were planted on our territory during Armenia’s occupation, and that over the past five to six years, more than 400 Azerbaijanis have lost their lives or sustained serious injuries as a result. I believe that sharing experience in this field could be beneficial, while the introduction of new technologies and the implementation of training programs are also of great importance.Transport connectivity was among the issues we discussed. Mr. President noted that railway projects aimed at improving connectivity with neighboring countries were underway and that, once completed, they could provide a direct connection to the Trans-Caspian Transport Route.For my part, I noted that all major transport and logistics projects in Azerbaijan have already been completed. We are now focusing primarily on identifying new sources of cargo, attracting freight from new markets, and increasing cargo volumes. I hope that once the projects currently underway on both sides are completed, freight volumes will increase accordingly.We also discussed opportunities for cooperation in energy, mining, agriculture, and other sectors. We share the view that tangible results can be achieved in each of these areas if concrete steps are taken. In any case, we have the necessary opportunities and, most importantly, the mutual determination to move forward.Laos is a friendly country to Azerbaijan. As I have said, our relations, spanning more than 30 years, have demonstrated this time and again. Mr. President’s official visit to Azerbaijan and his planned participation in the Summit on the 15th of this month are further testament to this friendship. I should also mention that Mr. President informed me that he had visited Azerbaijan in the 1980s. Nevertheless, this is the first-ever official visit by a President of Laos to Azerbaijan.Mr. President, I would like to once again thank you for your visit and convey my very best wishes to you. Thank you. x x x Then, the President of Laos made the statement. Statement by President Thongloun Sisoulith - Thank you, Your Excellency President Ilham Aliyev. I am deeply honored to be here today with representatives of the Azerbaijani press. I thank you for your kind remarks.Your remarks were comprehensive and addressed all the issues we discussed today, both during our tête-à-tête meeting and in the expanded-format meeting, with a view to strengthening the traditional friendship and cooperation between our countries and expanding our cooperation into new areas in the future.I have been warmly received by Your Excellency, Mr. President, here today. I would like to emphasize that cooperation and exchanges between our countries and peoples date back many years. Our relations are rooted in a longstanding tradition of friendship. In this regard, I recall that Laos had the honor of welcoming former President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev when he was serving as First Deputy Chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers and a member of the Politburo. He attended the Fourth Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party in 1986. We retain fond memories of his outstanding address at that Congress, which made a lasting impression on the Lao people.Today, I would like to once again express my sincere appreciation to His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev, the son of President Heydar Aliyev, who laid the foundation for the friendly relations between our peoples. President Ilham Aliyev continues this longstanding tradition of friendship and cooperation.It is particularly symbolic that President Ilham Aliyev, the son of President Heydar Aliyev, is sitting across from Laos's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thongsavanh Phomvihane, who is himself the son of our beloved former President, Kaysone Phomvihane. This symbolizes the continuity and strengthening of our relations and reflects the positive outcomes of my official visit today.I fully share the views you have expressed regarding our meetings and the longstanding ties between our countries.President Ilham Aliyev also emphasized that our traditionally good bilateral relations should be reassessed with a view to further expanding cooperation beyond interparliamentary and political ties. We should explore additional opportunities for cooperation in the areas of economic development, trade, investment, people-to-people exchanges, tourism, and human resource development, enabling Laos to benefit from these opportunities.I firmly believe that this official visit will provide an opportunity to instruct the relevant institutions of our countries to examine in greater detail the outcomes of the discussions held at the level of heads of state. We have signed several documents here, including a Joint Statement that reflects our commitment to cooperation. We are confident that Azerbaijani businesses will increase their investments in the Lao People's Democratic Republic in the years ahead. We expect to see greater trade, increased investment, more tourism, and expanded cultural exchanges.I am particularly pleased that Your Excellency expressed Azerbaijan's readiness to welcome more Lao students in the future. Building on the educational assistance extended to the many Lao students who studied here in the past and restoring scholarship opportunities will also be of immense benefit to future generations.We will also continue to explore and discuss other areas of potential cooperation. As part of this official visit, I will have the opportunity to meet with the Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis. We will encourage closer cooperation between the legislative bodies of our two countries. Of course, our governments will play the leading role in implementing the outcomes of today’s meetings. I will also meet with the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan and propose that we continue developing cooperation in the relevant sectors. I intend to send additional ministers to Azerbaijan to hold detailed discussions on expanding cooperation in investment, education, energy, and other areas, so that our plans for future cooperation can be translated into concrete results.Once again, I would like to express my gratitude to Your Excellency, the President of Azerbaijan, as well as to the Government and people of Azerbaijan, for the warm welcome extended to me and my delegation. Your hospitality is a reflection of the brotherhood and friendship between our peoples.I last visited Baku 44 years ago, and today I have returned. I have witnessed the remarkable development of Baku and Azerbaijan. Everything looks new to me. I could barely recognize the Azerbaijan I visited 44 years ago. Nevertheless, the Azerbaijani people have preserved the warmth and friendliness that are deeply rooted in their culture and traditions. The Azerbaijani people remain as warm and welcoming as ever. This has left a very pleasant impression on me.Mr. President, thank you once again. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_held_expanded_meeting_with_president_of_laos_video-4458696 Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:10:00 +0400 Baku, October 13, AZERTAC On October 13, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held an expanded meeting with President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Thongloun Sisoulith.Addressing the meeting, President Ilham Aliyev said: - Once again, welcome, Mr. President. I'm very glad that you accepted my invitation and are visiting Azerbaijan. I'm sure that the visit will strengthen our bilateral ties and create new opportunities for cooperation. We have just had a tête-à-tête meeting, where we broadly discussed our bilateral agenda, including political and economic areas and areas of mutual interest. And now we'll continue with the participation of the delegations.I think that the best result of your visit will be the further strengthening of our political ties. We are good friends, and we cooperate actively on the international arena. And we definitely want to see more active development on the economic track. I looked at some figures; they're very small, but there is great potential. I think your visit will give a boost to our economic cooperation. And also, as I said during our tête-à-tête meeting, we are ready to consider practical investment projects in your country. And I think the business communities of both sides will explore that opportunity. Also, you will have meetings, as we discussed, with the heads of our parliament and government, where the discussions will continue. In general, we are very satisfied with the level of political ties. We have met several times on different international occasions, but this is the first official visit by the President of Laos to Azerbaijan, and it definitely has a special status. And also, thank you for attending the CICA Summit. With the unanimous support of all the countries, Azerbaijan was selected to chair CICA and has tried to contribute to the development of this institution over the last two years. And of course, the summit in Baku, with the large participation of heads of state and government and other officials, will definitely strengthen security and cooperation in Asia. And in general, our foreign policy towards Asia is, I think, very dynamic and result-oriented. I wish you a pleasant stay. Once again, welcome to Azerbaijan. x x x Then, President Thongloun Sisoulith said: - I am honored and proud to have had this opportunity to lead the high-level delegation from Laos on an official visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan. This visit was undertaken at the gracious invitation of Your Excellency President Ilham Aliyev. I still hold fond memories of my meeting with Your Excellency at the BRICS+ Summit held in Kazan in October 2024, as well as our cordial exchanges at various international forums. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the friendly people of Azerbaijan and to Your Excellency for your leadership and for the warm, gracious, and hospitable welcome extended to me and my delegation from the moment we arrived in this beautiful city of Baku. Having previously visited Azerbaijan and Baku in 1982, more than 40 years ago, and having followed the country’s development over the years, I am now witnessing it firsthand and am profoundly impressed by the rapid progress and transformation of your country. This marks my first official visit to Azerbaijan in my capacity as President of Laos. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries in 1995, this is the first visit at the head-of-state level and represents a historic milestone. It further consolidates, expands, and elevates our traditional bonds of friendship and cooperation, ushering in a new era of closer and more effective partnership. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/azerbaijan_and_laos_adopted_joint_statement_and_exchanged_documents_video-4458732 Tue, 13 Oct 2026 14:07:00 +0400 Baku, October 13, AZERTAC On October 13, the “Joint Statement between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic” was adopted, and a ceremony was held to exchange documents signed between the two countries in the presence of President Ilham Aliyev and President Thongloun Sisoulith.President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Thongloun Sisoulith adopted the “Joint Statement between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Lao People's Democratic Republic.”Shovgi Mehdizade, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Laos, and Linkham Douangsavanh, Minister of Agriculture and Environment of Laos, exchanged the “Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic in the Field of Agriculture.”Jeyhun Bayramov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, and Thongsavanh Phomvihane, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos, exchanged the “Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic on the Mutual Exemption of Visa Requirements for Holders of Service Passports.” https://azertag.az/en/xeber/official_luncheon_hosted_on_behalf_of_president_ilham_aliyev_in_honor_of_president_of_laos_video-4459209 Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:55:00 +0400 Baku, October 13, AZERTAC An official luncheon was hosted on behalf of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in honor of President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Thongloun Sisoulith on October 13.Following the luncheon, the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Laos, together with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos Thongsavanh Phomvihane, viewed photographs taken in 1986 during National Leader Heydar Aliyev’s visit to Laos in his capacity as First Deputy Chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers. The photographs depicted his meeting with Kaysone Phomvihane, then Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.Kaysone Phomvihane was the father of Thongsavanh Phomvihane, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/president_ilham_aliyev_held_one_on_one_meeting_with_president_of_laos_video-4458564 Tue, 13 Oct 2026 10:57:00 +0400 Baku, October 13, AZERTAC On October 13, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held a one-on-one meeting with President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Thongloun Sisoulith. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/official_welcome_ceremony_held_in_baku_for_president_of_laos_video-4458486 Tue, 13 Oct 2026 10:41:00 +0400 Baku, October 13, AZERTAC On October 13, an official welcome ceremony was held in Baku for President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Thongloun Sisoulith.A guard of honor was lined up for the President of Laos in the square decorated with the national flags of both countries.President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev welcomed President Thongloun Sisoulith.The chief of the guard of honor reported to the President of Laos.The national anthems of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the Republic of Azerbaijan were played.The guard of honor marched past President Ilham Aliyev and President Thongloun Sisoulith to the accompaniment of a military march.Members of the Azerbaijani delegation were presented to President Thongloun Sisoulith, while members of the Lao delegation were presented to President Ilham Aliyev.The heads of state posed together for photographs.