Category: Azer News

A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has issued an open letter to US President Donald Trump calling for the upholding of law and order and support for the vision of the Trump Corridor for international peace and prosperity.

According to Azernews, the letter reads:

To the President of the United States of America, Donald J.Trump

Dear Mr. President,

We, the representatives of the Azerbaijani civil society, human rights advocates, and survivors of decades of ethnic cleansing, extend our warmest greetings to you, leader who guides the world with kindness. We recognize in your leadership a kindred spirit – one that values worldwide peace, and has the courage to broker historic deals that others deemed impossible.

We write to you to provide a grounded, fact-based perspective on recent campaigns led by the so-called Lemkin Institute, which seek to undermine the very peace you have championed. While these groups use the sentiment of the Christmas season and New Year mood to call for the release of ‘detainees’, we respectfully ask you to look beyond the rhetoric and to assess these individuals based on their prior actions: due to their criminal activities about 1/5 of Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized territories remained under the occupation of Armenia for more than three decades and nearly a million Azerbaijanis were subjected to ethnic cleansing.

Thanks to your leadership as a peacemaker, the South Caucasus region is experiencing the most peaceful period of the last 35 years. This achievement is something you personally secured through the historic Washington Joint Declaration of August 8, 2025.

Mr. President,

Individuals conducting misinformation campaigns, seek to present persons charged with financing terrorism and waging aggressive war, and committing crimes against humanity over 30 years of illegal occupation as ‘hostages,’ whose actions resulted in the forced displacement of nearly one million Azerbaijanis and the systematic destruction of hundreds of peaceful settlements.

One of the detained persons is a Russian-Armenian oligarch Ruben Vardanyan, who is well known for his past ties to USAID Chief Samantha Power. He was sent to the region to act as the ‘state minister’ in the puppet regime established in the formerly occupied territories of Azerbaijan, to ensure that the peace is never achieved in the South Caucasus region.

Azerbaijan is conducting these trials with transparency and in accordance with international obligations. The legal proceedings, including those for Ruben Vardanyan, are conducted under the scrutiny of judicial panels and are open to the public.

Attempts to frame this as religious persecution are absolutely false. Azerbaijan remains a proud, secular country where Muslims Christians and Jews and have lived in harmony for centuries. For instance, the official gathering of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held in the capital city of Baku last month. Also, the second Catholic church, construction of which is financed by Azerbaijani state, is currently under construction in the capital city. These facts once again showcase Azerbaijan’s commitment to interfaith dialogue and tolerance. There are many more examples like this.

Mr. President,

The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan was never a religious one. Some malign actors are doing their best to undermine the peace in the region achieved through your personal involvement. In the spirit of the Washington Arrangements, confidence-building measures between Azerbaijan and Armenia have been initiated and economic ties are being restored.

You and your Administration showed the world that the American might goes hand-in-hand with peacebuilding and justice. We welcome the appeal of the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia to the Nobel Peace Committee to award you the Nobel Peace Prize.

Through your leadership, several decades-long conflicts around the world have become part of history rather than a present reality. We believe that spoilers like the Lemkin Institute will never achieve their goal of misleading the American public.

With deepest respect for your leadership and vision,

The Representatives of Azerbaijani Civil Society

Ramil Iskandarli – Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum

Vladimir Timoshenko – Retired Major General, Member of the Board of Veterans of War, Armed Forces, and Labor of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Novella Jafarova – Chairwoman of the Dilara Aliyeva Azerbaijan Women’s Rights Society

Saadat Bananyarli – Chairwoman of the “Azerbaijan National Unit of the International Human Rights Society” Public Union

Saltanat Gojamanli – Chairwoman of the “Protection of Human Rights and Legality” Public Union

Amir Aliyev – Chairman of the ‘Center for the Promotion of Human Rights’ Public Union

Alimammad Nuriyev – Head of the ‘Constitution’ Research Fund

Zaur Mammadov – Chairman of the Baku Club of Political Scientists

Rey Gasimov – Chairman of the ‘Association of Landmine Victims in Azerbaijan’ Public Union

Hafiz Safikhanov – Chairman of the ‘Azerbaijan Campaign Against Landmines’ Public Union

Zaur Ibrahimli – Chairman of the “Priority” Social Economic Research Center Public Union

Konul Behbudova – Chairwoman of the ‘Karabakh Missing Families’ Public Union

Ayaz Mirzayev – Chairman of the ‘Azerbaijani Journalists Network’ Public Union

Dilgam Ahmad – Chairman of the ‘Chapar – Center for the Study of National Heritage’ Public Union

Fuad Mammadov – Chairman of the “Simurg” Azerbaijan Cultural Association

Fariz Khalilli – Chairman of the “Miras” Public Association for the Promotion of Cultural Heritage

Umud Rahimoghlu – Chairman of the International Eurasia Press Fund

Mubariz Asgarov – Chairman of the “Objective” Public Union for the Promotion of National Values

Shahla Naghiyeva – Chairwoman of the ‘Sonmez Mashal’ Cultural Relations Public Union

Gamar Baghirova – Chairwoman of the Jafar Jabbarli Public Association for the Development of Culture, Science and Education

Sevinc Alizade – Chairwoman of the ‘Victory’ Support to Families of Martyrs Public Union

Tunzala Abdullalimova – Chairwoman of the ‘For the Motherland – Support to Families of Martyrs’ Public Union

Jeyran Hasanova – Chairwoman of the ‘Support to Mothers of Martyrs’ Public Union

Aqil Jamal – Chairman of the ‘Common Values’ Public Union Vugar Gadirov – Chairman of the ‘Youth Organization for Return and Revival’ Public Union

Khalid Kazimov – Chairman of the Regional Human Rights and Media Center Public Union

Ahmad Abbasbayli – Chairman of the ‘Center for Development of Society’ Public Union

Irada Rzazada – Chairperson of the Public Union ‘For Social Well-being of Citizens’

Keramet Ismayilov – Chairman of the Public Union for Economic and Social Development

Fikret Yusifov – President of the “Economics” International Economic Research Public Union

On January 8, the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre will present a performance of the opera “Tosca” by the outstanding Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, Azernews reports.

The premiere of this production, which took place in Milan in 1900, is one of the most valuable examples of classical operatic art and adorns the repertoire of many of the world’s leading opera houses.

The play by French dramatist Victorien Sardou, dedicated to the tragic fate of an opera singer, attracted the attention of such composers as Puccini, Verdi, and Franchetti as early as 1899. However, the right to compose an opera based on this work ultimately went to Puccini. Thus, on the basis of the libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, Puccini created the opera “Tosca”. The plot is based on political intrigues and love affairs during the early years of the reign of the French Emperor Napoleon.

In the performance, the role of Tosca will be sung by Honoured Artist Ilaha Afandiyeva; the role of Cavaradossi will be performed for the first time by Honoured Artist Ramil Gasimov; and the role of Scarpia by Honoured Artist Anton Fershtandt. The performance will also feature Honoured Artist Tural Aghasiyev, as well as soloists Mahir Tagizade, Rza Khosrovzade, Igor Yadrov, Ruslan Persan, and Fatima Mammadova.

The performance will be conducted by the Opera and Ballet Theatre’s chief conductor, Honoured Artist Ayyub Guliyev.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, and Milli.Az.

On December 24, a festive celebration was organized for children living at the ‘Clean World’ shelter.

Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and founder and head of the IDEA Public Union, Head of the Baku Media Center Arzu Aliyeva, and Alena Aliyeva took part in the event.

Santa Claus, the Snow Maiden, and fairy-tale characters entertained the children, creating joyful moments and a festive atmosphere.

To ensure the children’s safe and comfortable transportation to and from school, Head of the Baku Media Center Arzu Aliyeva presented a new bus to the shelter.

Leyla Aliyeva, Arzu Aliyeva, and Alena Aliyeva then presented gifts to the children and shared their joy.

The final trial of Karen Avanesyan, a resident of Armenian origin accused of terrorism and other particularly serious crimes in Khankendi, concluded at the Ganja Grave Crimes Court, chaired by Judge Ilkin Ibishov, Azernews reports.

During the trial, Avanesyan had the last word before the court delivered its verdict, sentencing him to 16 years in prison. The public prosecutor had proposed an 18-year sentence.

According to the case details, on September 14, Avanesyan left his residence for a forested area near the city, where he retrieved a Kalashnikov assault rifle with four boxes of ammunition and five grenades that he had previously hidden. He attempted to approach an event in Khankendi. When police officers tried to stop him, he resisted by throwing three grenades and opening fire with the machine gun. Avanesyan was shot during the exchange of fire and subsequently arrested.

He was charged under multiple articles of the Criminal Code, including attempted murder in connection with terrorism, use of firearms in the commission of terrorism, illegal acquisition and storage of weapons and ammunition, and resistance and use of force against law enforcement officials.

First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva has made a post on her social media accounts marking the first anniversary of the crash involving an aircraft operated by Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL).

Azerbaijan has approved the 2026 implementation schedule for monitoring the application of green technologies and energy efficiency in territories liberated from occupation, Azernews reports, citing the Ministry of Energy.

The announcement was made during the 11th meeting of the Working Group on Coordination and Monitoring of Green Technologies and Energy Efficiency in Liberated Territories. Discussions also focused on heating provision and the current state of residential complexes.

Minister of Energy and Working Group Chairman Parviz Shahbazov highlighted the large-scale reconstruction and development projects being carried out in liberated territories under the directives of President Ilham Aliyev. Since the previous meeting, several residential areas and social infrastructure facilities have been completed or initiated, with over 65,000 residents currently living in these areas.

Under the green energy initiative, foundations have been laid for the ‘Shams’ and ‘Ufug’ solar power plants in Jabrayil, each with a capacity of 50 MW, while construction continues at the ‘Shafag’ Solar Power Plant. In Kalbajar, wind energy potential measurement and monitoring works have commenced. Currently, 38 hydropower plants with a combined capacity of 307 MW are operating in the liberated territories.

The meeting reviewed reports on the implementation of previous decisions and monitoring results on the use of green technologies and energy efficiency. Evaluations were presented from Fuzuli and Aghdam cities, the villages of Dövl?tyarli (Fuzuli), Saricali, K?ng?rli, and Xidirli (Aghdam), and Mahruzlu and Zilanli (Qubadli). Monitoring focused on solar panels, solar collectors, LED solar-powered lighting equipment, LED fixtures, poles, smart bus stops, and insulation materials used in construction.

The Working Group meeting was attended by representatives from relevant state institutions, the Special Representative Offices of the President in liberated territories, the Public Legal Entity ‘Reconstruction, Construction and Management Service,’ the Shusha State Reserve Department, and Azeristiliktechizat JSC.

Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, who arrived in Baku to attend the opening of the 12th Session of the Turkiye-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Commission (JEC) and the 2nd Turkiye-Azerbaijan Investment Forum, met with members of the press following his official engagements in the Azerbaijani capital.

Emphasizing that relations between Turkiye and Azerbaijan are built on the principle of ‘Two States, One Nation,’ Yilmaz said the partnership has reached the level of a strategic alliance, a status formally enshrined in the Shusha Declaration.

Yilmaz noted that bilateral trade volume reached $8 billion last year, adding that while a limited decline is expected this year due to fluctuations in global oil prices, the long-term target of $15 billion in trade volume remains unchanged.

He also highlighted that mutual investments between the two countries have approached $40 billion, while the total value of projects undertaken by Turkish contractors in Azerbaijan has exceeded $20 billion.

Speaking at the JEC meeting, Yilmaz announced that a new action plan consisting of 110 articles had been signed. The plan covers a wide range of sectors, from exploring free trade opportunities to cooperation in energy, agriculture, and healthcare.

Recalling that 78 percent of last year’s 120-point action plan has already been completed, Yilmaz said this high implementation rate demonstrates how concrete and effective cooperation between the two countries has become.

Yilmaz described the Zangezur Corridor not merely as a transportation route but as a development corridor linking Eastern Anatolia, the Eastern Black Sea region, and Central Asia. He stressed that the project carries strategic importance for direct connectivity with the Turkic world.

He added that the Zangezur Corridor, the Development Road Project, and the Hejaz Railway form key pillars of Turkiye’s long-term economic and geopolitical vision.

Turning to domestic issues, Yilmaz underlined that the goal of a ‘terror-free Turkiye’ is now official state policy, noting that terrorism has imposed an estimated $2 trillion economic cost on the country. He said ending terrorism is essential not only for security, but also for development, democracy, and social welfare, adding that the work of a parliamentary commission on the issue will soon be shared with the public.

On the economy, Yilmaz said inflation fell to 31.1 percent in November, with preliminary indicators for December also pointing to improvement. He stated that inflation is expected to fall below 30 percent with January figures, below 20 percent by the end of 2026, and reach single digits by 2027.

Despite spending $90 billion on post-earthquake recovery efforts so far, Yilmaz said budget discipline has been maintained. He noted that Turkiye’s public debt-to-GDP ratio stands at 24 percent, placing it among the least indebted countries in the world.

Yilmaz recalled that the 2026 budget has been approved by parliament, adding that it will allow for substantial healing of earthquake damage and mark the beginning of a primary budget surplus.

Gaza and Palestine

Addressing developments in Gaza, Yilmaz described the events there as an outright genocide, reaffirming that Turkiye will continue to stand with the Palestinian people.

Reiterating Ankara’s support for a two-state solution, Yilmaz said Turkiye’s struggle will continue until an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital is established.

Finally, Yilmaz announced that Turkiye will host the COP31 Climate Summit in Antalya in 2026, saying the event will present significant opportunities for the country in terms of green transformation and green finance.

Learn, Grow, Share,’ aimed at supporting the holistic development and social integration of children from vulnerable segments of society.

As reported by Azernews, the initiative was inaugurated at Children’s Home No. 1, a social service institution operating under the Social Services Agency of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Azerbaijan. As part of the first phase, two educational and awareness-raising sessions have already been conducted, focusing on social interaction, self-development, creative thinking, healthy lifestyle habits, as well as digital literacy and online safety.

The sessions were delivered by Gulsum Mammadova, Project Coordinator at the University of Chicago and a youth development trainer, in collaboration with Azercell’s in-house experts in relevant fields.

Azercell plans to implement the ‘The Future Starts With You – Learn, Grow, Share’ initiative in multiple stages, gradually expanding its reach to other social institutions across the country._:

The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed hope that the investigation into the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) plane in Kazakhstan will be completed soon.

Azernews reports that this was stated by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova during a briefing.

According to Zakharova, Russia expects that the Kazakh commission will soon finalize its investigation, allowing all parties to address remaining issues. She said:

“We hope that the Kazakh commission will soon complete its investigation and together we will resolve all remaining questions related to this tragic event, this tragedy. No one should have any doubts about this.”

The diplomat added that “the Russian side is closely cooperating with this structure, providing it with all necessary assistance, and the Russian aviation authorities have answered all the questions received from their Kazakh colleagues.”

Zakharova also emphasized her commitment to fully implementing all agreements reached by the leaders of Russia and Azerbaijan following the meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State in Dushanbe on October 9 this year.

Trkiye Insurance Association (TSB) Chairman Ugur Glen has reviewed the performance of the insurance sector in 2025 and outlined its targets for the coming period. Stating that 2025 has been a very strong year for the insurance industry, Glen said this assessment can be made by examining several key indicators.

Sharing premium production statistics as of the end of November, Glen said, ‘We have reached premium production exceeding 1 trillion Turkish lira. If this trend continues, we will close the year with premium production of more than 1.2 trillion lira. This corresponds to premium growth of over 40 percent in 2025. Assuming inflation ends around the 30 percent level, this shows that we will complete the year with premium growth above inflation.’

Glen projected that total premium production in the non-life and life-pension sectors would reach $30 billion by the end of the year, noting that this would mean the insurance sector’s penetration rate reaching 2.5 percent. He emphasized that this level aligns with the goal of insurance contributing 2.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

‘However, we have a destination we still need to reach. We do not consider 2.5 percent sufficient; we want to raise this to 5 percent. I hope that by 2030, we will see such a figure,’ Glen said.

Referring to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜIK), Glen recalled that total health expenditures in Trkiye reached approximately 2.4 trillion lira as of the end of last year. He noted that 80 percent of these expenditures were covered by the public sector, 17 percent by citizens, and only 3 percent by private health insurance and supplementary funds.

Drawing attention to the growth potential of private health insurance, Glen said: ‘If we could increase this 3 percent share to 6 percent, our health insurance sector would double in size. Doubling private health insurance would also mean growth for private hospitals and private service providers. Every 1 percentage point increase in private health insurance reduces public budget expenditures by $1 billion. If we raise the share from 3 percent to 6 percent today, public spending would decrease by $3 billion.’

He stressed that a $3 billion reduction in public expenditures would be highly significant, noting that investments made in TOGG, Trkiye’s domestic electric vehicle initiative, are estimated at around $3 billion.

‘If a major production facility were established using the savings generated here, this would be one of the clearest indicators of how significant a contribution it could make to the country’s economy. By reducing the burden on the public sector and shifting health expenditures from the public to the private sector, we would essentially be killing two birds with one stone. This would also help ease inflationary pressure,’ Glen said.

Turning to earthquake-related expenditures, Glen highlighted the costs incurred following the Kahramanmaras-centered earthquakes, stating that the total economic loss caused by the disasters amounted to $105 billion, with nearly $100 billion covered by the public sector. Only $5-6 billion of the losses were paid by the insurance sector.

Glen warned that a potential Marmara earthquake could result in damage four times greater. ‘In the event of a Marmara earthquake, an economic loss of $350-400 billion could emerge. Currently, only $35 billion of this is insured. The solution is to increase insurance penetration and ensure 100 percent coverage under DASK,’ he said.