Category: Azer News

A violation of the state border from the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Republic of Azerbaijan was prevented in the service area of the ‘Horadiz’ border detachment of the State Border Service, Azernews reports.

As a result of joint border search and operational measures conducted by the State Border Service and the State Customs Committee, a total of 15 kilograms 200 grams of marijuana and 1,490 methadone M-40 pills containing narcotics were discovered and seized. The contraband was being smuggled across the border with the intent of illegal circulation inside Azerbaijan.

The State Border Service emphasized that such operations demonstrate the country’s determination to combat drug trafficking, which poses a threat to both national security and public health. It was also underlined that the Azerbaijani side continues to strengthen cooperation between border and customs authorities to ensure effective control over the state border, particularly in areas vulnerable to smuggling attempts.

Eight sports competitions are scheduled for October 2 as part of the third CIS Games in Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

The events will include chovqan (Kyrgyzstan-Kuwait, Kazakhstan-Turkiye) in Shaki, trampoline gymnastics (first medalists will be determined), and badminton (Russia-Uzbekistan mixed teams final) in Gabala.

In Ganja, the Azerbaijani men’s volleyball team will face Uzbekistan at 18:30.

Moreover, fencing and swimming competitions will take place in the city.

In Yevlakh, boxing events will be held, while archery competitions will take place in Khankandi.

Azerbaijan is hosting the third Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Games from September 28 to October 8, 2025, marking a significant event in the region’s sports calendar.

This multi-sport competition brings together athletes from CIS member states and invited countries, aiming to promote friendship, cooperation, and athletic excellence.

For the first time in the history of the CIS Games, competitions are being held across seven cities in Azerbaijan: Ganja, Mingachevir, Gabala, Shaki, Goygol, Yevlakh, and Khankandi.

Each city hosts events in different sports, with the second-largest city, Ganja, serving as the main hub and officially designated the CIS Sports Capital for 2025.

Around 23 sports are being contested across 12 venues, highlighting a broad and inclusive athletic program.

A total of 1,624 athletes from 13 countries had confirmed participation. Event mascots Babir and Leyla are helping to generate enthusiasm among young fans.

Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan relations encompass a multifaceted cooperation agenda, said President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in his letter to President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Azernews reports.

President Ilham Aliyev emphasized: ‘We are delighted by the continuous expansion and enrichment of our mutually beneficial cooperation in political, economic, trade, industrial, energy, transport-logistics, security, investment, agricultural, humanitarian, and other fields. The unprecedented achievements we have attained in a short period through bilateral cooperation contribute to the progress of our countries, the well-being of our peoples, regional cooperation, and overall prosperity and stability.’

Since the signing of the transit agreement on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline route, the subsidiaries of KazMunayGas and SOCAR-Kazmortransflot and ASCO-have jointly transported approximately 3.4 million tons of Kazakh oil on a parity basis, Azernews reports.

This achievement was highlighted during a meeting in Astana between the Chairman of the Management Board of KazMunayGas, Askhat Khasenov, and the President of SOCAR, Rovshan Najaf.

At the talks, the parties reviewed the current state and future prospects of hydrocarbon transportation, as well as cooperation in digitalization and industrial safety.

It was emphasized that within the framework of quadrilateral memorandums signed between KazMunayGas, SOCAR, Tatneft, and Uzbekneftegaz, specialists are actively exchanging experience on the application of digital solutions in production. In addition, the companies are jointly implementing measures to improve occupational safety and ensure rapid response to man-made emergencies.

KazMunayGas reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening strategic cooperation with SOCAR, aimed at developing the transit potential of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, as well as expanding Kazakhstan’s oil exports to international markets.

As part of the 11th Baku International Book Fair, the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Ombudsman) held a presentation on October 1, Azernews reports. The event showcased the Ombudsman’s publications and awareness-raising activities.

At the event, the head of the Legal Awareness Sector of the Ombudsman’s Office, Mugalib Mahmudov, provided information about the awareness-raising activities carried out by the Ombudsman. He spoke about the work done in areas such as citizens’ rights and freedoms, children’s rights, gender equality, the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities, and the promotion of international human rights documents.

He noted that the institution regularly prepares and distributes various publications, brochures, and booklets among the public, and also holds awareness-raising events aimed at increasing the legal knowledge of young people.

At the event, Vali Guliyev, acting head of the Analysis and Monitoring Sector of the Department of Access to Information of the Ombudsman’s Office, provided detailed information about the Ombudsman’s activities in this field. He stated that ensuring citizens’ right to access information, cases of violations of this right, and the information access opportunities for vulnerable population groups are always at the center of attention.

A representative of the Ombudsman’s Office added that expanding information access opportunities for vulnerable groups-such as persons with disabilities, low-income families, children, and elderly people-and presenting information in accessible formats for them is one of the priority areas.

Then, Azer Isali, Senior Advisor of the Child Rights Protection Sector of the Department of Human Rights Protection of the Ombudsman’s Office, talked about the protection of children’s rights, the awareness-raising activities carried out in this area, and the publications prepared. He emphasized that the work done in the field of protecting children’s rights serves to educate them, increase their legal knowledge, and ensure their growth in a healthy environment. Azer Isali also highlighted that the Ombudsman’s Office prepares various brochures, booklets, and educational materials to promote national and international legislation on children’s rights.

Shahla Aslanova, Chief Advisor of the Department of Cooperation with International Organizations and Civil Society Institutions of the Ombudsman’s Office, discussed the projects implemented by the institution in cooperation with international organizations, joint work with civil society institutions, and awareness-raising activities. She noted that the joint activities in the field of human rights protection and promotion make a significant contribution to raising public awareness.

On the initiative of the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Azerbaijan, books, leaflets, and booklets dedicated to legal awareness were prepared and published in various languages – Azerbaijani, Russian, English, Ukrainian, and French – from 2002 to 2025.

In total, during the Ombudsman’s activities, 278 publications have been printed and presented to a wide readership, including one electronic edition. Of these, 190 are books, 79 are leaflets and booklets, and 9 are posters.

On October 1, a banquet was hosted in Copenhagen on behalf of King Frederik X and Queen Mary Elizabeth of Denmark.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the event.

The TrkMedya E-Commerce and Retail Summit was held at the Istanbul Financial Center, bringing together senior executives from government, finance, and the business world, alongside industry stakeholders. The summit was attended by Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat and Vice President of the Presidency’s Investment and Finance Office Bekir Polat. Opening remarks were delivered by Trade Minister Ömer Bolat, TrkMedya Executive Board Chairman Murat Çiçek, and Halkbank General Manager Osman Arslan.

The summit addressed the effects of digitalization on the retail sector, the growth of e-commerce volume, and future strategies.

In his speech, Minister Bolat underlined the momentum gained by e-commerce during the pandemic:

‘We can easily say that the turning point for e-commerce was the Covid pandemic. That was the period when the importance of e-commerce became clear. I clearly remember that, in those days, whatever the business in computer and information technologies, it grew exponentially,’ he said.

Sharing global and national data, Bolat noted:

‘Global trade is expanding rapidly, and projections for 2026 foresee a global trade volume of $8.1 trillion. This figure was $5.5 trillion just four years ago, in 2022. In Trkiye, the share of people ordering goods and services online was 35 percent in 2020, when Covid began, and has now risen to 55.7 percent-nearly 56 percent-in 2025. This growth is continuing.’

Bolat emphasized the role of the Ministry of Trade in monitoring the sector:

‘As the Ministry of Trade, we operate ETBIS, the e-commerce registration system. Each year we publish a report called The Outlook of E-Commerce in Trkiye. On May 6 this year, we announced our latest report. By the end of 2024, e-commerce volume reached 3 trillion Turkish lira. This includes everything-from ticket sales to clothing and food, essentially all e-commerce transactions. Compared with 2023, this represents an increase of 61.7 percent. Based on the average exchange rate at the time, this 3 trillion lira corresponds to about $90 billion in trade.’

He also highlighted the impact on retail e-commerce:

‘Retail e-commerce reached 1.619 trillion lira in 2024, a 63.7 percent rise compared with the previous year. These figures are huge and growing every year far beyond inflation or revaluation rates. The share of e-commerce in our gross domestic product has reached 6.5 percent. Between 2019, before the pandemic, and 2024, the compound annual growth rate was 30 percent. Globally, e-commerce sales account for more than 19 percent of total retail sales, and this is expected to reach 25 percent by 2027. In Trkiye, e-commerce’s share in total trade has reached 19.1 percent, about one-fifth-similar to the global level.’

Bolat added that order volumes have grown sharply:

‘The number of orders in Trkiye rose from 1.36 billion to 5.91 billion. The number of marketplace sellers increased from 57,000 in 2019 to 584,000. That’s a 919 percent increase-nearly a tenfold jump-in the number of sellers over five years. These figures show that e-commerce in Trkiye is advancing in giant strides. It is impossible for a business to survive in competition without taking digitalization and e-commerce into account.’

He also pointed to the entrepreneurial structure of the sector:

‘Of all e-commerce businesses, 78.5 percent are sole proprietorships, 18 percent are limited companies, and 3.6 percent are joint-stock companies. This means e-commerce has spread widely, been embraced by society, and is seen as a powerful tool for competition, especially for individual entrepreneurs.’

Azerbaijan actively participated in the VII International Transport and Logistics Business Forum ‘New Silk Road,’ held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Azernews reports, citing the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport.

The Azerbaijani delegation was led by Deputy Minister Rahman Hummatov. The discussions at the international forum focused on strengthening transport cooperation, developing transnational corridors, and unlocking the logistics potential of the region.

Within the framework of the forum, a panel session on ‘Transport connectivity and synchronization of transport corridors’ was organized, along with the VIII meeting of transport ministers of the Organization of Turkic States. In addition, the heads of delegations of the countries along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, Middle Corridor) convened for a dedicated meeting.

The event concluded with the signing of a number of important agreements aimed at improving regional transport infrastructure. These included an Action Plan to eliminate bottlenecks in the railway segment of the TITR, a protocol on the meeting of delegations regarding the Trans-Caspian route, and a communiqué summarizing the results of the VIII meeting of OTS transport ministers.

The forum once again underlined the strategic role of the Middle Corridor as a vital Eurasian route linking China, Central Asia, and Europe, and highlighted Azerbaijan’s role as a key participant in regional transport connectivity initiatives.

Turkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, has said that 5G will serve as a strategic milestone in the country’s digital transformation, underlining the government’s ambition to build an ecosystem based on domestic production.

‘We want to turn our country into a technology hub that not only develops 5G systems locally but also exports them to global markets,’ Uraloglu stated. He emphasized that ongoing projects would pave the way for high-value exports while boosting national technological capacity.

As part of the ‘End-to-End Domestic and National 5G Project,’ Turkiye plans to produce both base stations and core network components within the country. Uraloglu announced that 5G infrastructure will be required to include at least 60 percent domestically produced equipment and 30 percent nationally developed communication technologies. This approach, he noted, will strengthen Turkiye’s telecommunications industry while reducing dependence on foreign suppliers.

The minister also highlighted the broader economic benefits of the initiative. ‘Through local production, we will both protect our domestic market and achieve the capacity to compete globally,’ he said, adding that the move would also contribute directly to reducing Turkiye’s current account deficit.

Uraloglu pointed to high-tech exports as a key priority of economic policy, stressing that 5G investments would enhance Turkiye’s R and D and patent capabilities. In the longer term, he said, Turkiye aims to be an active player in shaping 6G technologies as well.

Beyond telecommunications, 5G will have transformative effects across multiple sectors. In industry, it will accelerate automation; in transportation, it will enable smart solutions; in healthcare, it will support digitalization; and in finance, it will provide secure data flows. ‘We are not only planning for 5G but also preparing for technologies beyond 5G,’ Uraloglu concluded. ‘These steps will increase Turkiye’s technology exports and strengthen our competitive edge in the global marketplace.’

The Republic of Azerbaijan and the Italian Republic continue to reinforce a partnership rooted in mutual strategic interests-particularly in energy, education, and regional diplomacy. The recent official visit of Italian President Sergio Mattarella to Baku underscores a deepening alliance between the two nations, reflecting not only historical cooperation but a growing alignment of political will and shared vision for the future.

Italy has reaffirmed its position as Azerbaijan’s primary oil export destination in Europe, importing over 9 million tonnes in the first eight months of 2025 – a remarkable 47.7% rise year-on-year, reflecting deepening economic interdependence. The importance of this energy-driven relationship was a focal point of discussions held on September 30 in Baku, during a formal state visit that symbolized the maturing ties between Baku and Rome.

President Ilham Aliyev welcomed President Mattarella with full state honors in a square adorned with the national flags of both nations – a visual representation of a diplomatic partnership that has grown more strategic and multifaceted over the last decade.

During the expanded bilateral meeting, President Aliyev emphasized the significance of Mattarella’s second visit to Azerbaijan, calling it a “manifestation of the relations of friendship and partnership between Italy and Azerbaijan.” He highlighted that cooperation now spans multiple sectors – ‘from energy to industrial production’ – and is guided by the Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership signed five years ago.

“Our collaboration is of truly strategic importance,” President Aliyev said, stressing that the declaration is not a symbolic gesture, but a roadmap that is ‘being fully implemented.’

For his part, President Mattarella expressed appreciation for the warm hospitality and reiterated Italy’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties. Recalling his first visit to Baku seven years ago, he noted that it had laid the groundwork for Italian support of the Southern Gas Corridor and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP)-a crucial energy infrastructure delivering Caspian gas to European markets.

“During that visit, we were able to provide significant support to TAP. I am grateful to you for that,” Mattarella told Ilham Aliyev, affirming that energy cooperation remains ‘crucially important’ to both economies.

Energy has long been the cornerstone of Italy-Azerbaijan relations. With Italy as the primary European importer of Azerbaijani oil and a key stakeholder in the TAP pipeline, both sides reiterated the importance of expanding existing infrastructure and deepening cooperation in the renewable energy transition.

President Aliyev made it clear that while both countries can ‘rightly congratulate each other on the results already achieved’, the vision ahead is broader. He pointed to upcoming energy projects involving not only bilateral efforts but also the European Union as a whole.

‘The implementation of new projects in the energy sector… is very important,’ he said, expressing optimism about Azerbaijan’s role as a reliable energy partner for Europe amid ongoing global supply challenges.

Perhaps the most symbolic development of this visit was not in hydrocarbons, but in higher education. On October 1, the two presidents inaugurated the first academic buildings of the Italy-Azerbaijan University in Baku-a joint educational initiative that has moved from vision to reality in just three years.

Described by President Aliyev as a ‘friendship project’, the university aims to serve as a hub for academic exchange, innovation, and cultural diplomacy. Hundreds of Azerbaijani students are already enrolled, with Italian partner universities playing a central role in curriculum design and academic governance.

“They will become ambassadors of Italian-Azerbaijani friendship,” President Aliyev noted, highlighting how education is shaping a new generation of leaders familiar with both cultures.

President Mattarella echoed the sentiment, saying the university ‘demonstrates the magnitude and strength of our collaboration,’ which now extends well beyond economics and energy into culture, youth engagement, and intellectual exchange.

Another theme woven into the visit was the broader geopolitical context-particularly Azerbaijan’s evolving relationship with the European Union. Italy has been a consistent advocate for closer Azerbaijan-EU ties, a role acknowledged with gratitude by Aliyev.

‘Italy has always supported our efforts to build closer relations with the European Union,’ he said, framing Rome as both a partner and a bridge between Baku and Brussels.

President Mattarella’s remarks also carried a clear message of support. He welcomed Azerbaijan’s hosting of COP29 and praised the leadership shown during international climate negotiations, noting the global relevance of decisions adopted in Baku. He also congratulated President Aliyev on the progress achieved in the Washington-led Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process, signaling European interest in regional stability.

The official visit concluded not just with handshakes and ceremonies, but with tangible progress across key sectors. From the strategic continuity in energy trade to the symbolic depth of educational cooperation, Azerbaijan and Italy are crafting a partnership that blends pragmatism with long-term vision.

As President Aliyev put it, ‘Our relations are crucial for the development of the region. and have a positive impact on our relations with the European Union.’ The state visit of President Mattarella was both a reaffirmation of this trajectory and a step forward in building a resilient, multifaceted alliance in an increasingly complex global landscape.