Category: Azer News

President Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to Lee Jae Myung, President of the Republic of Korea.

The text of the letter was published on the official website of the President of Azerbaijan.

“Dear Mr. President,

On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my sincerest congratulations to you and your entire people on the occasion of the National Day of the Republic of Korea.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Korea are based on friendship, mutual respect and fruitful cooperation. We attach great importance to the steady expansion of our relations with Korea.

I believe that through our joint efforts, we will achieve further strengthening of the traditional friendly ties between Azerbaijan and Korea, our mutually beneficial cooperation in line with the interests of our peoples.

On such a remarkable day, I wish you robust health, happiness, success in your high state activities, and everlasting peace and prosperity to the friendly Republic of Korea.

Sincerely,

Ilham Aliyev

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku, 30 September 2026,” the letter reads.

Whatever we acquired, we purchased with money. That includes all weapons, which were bought with money at world prices-down to the last bullet, President Ilham Aliyev said during his speech at the 8th Congress of the New Azerbaijan Party (YAP).

“Today, wars are going on in various places. Everyone has a big backer behind them, so to speak – some even have several. But we stood alone. All those big backers were against us. The co-chairs of the Minsk Group were against us. Today they are leading states in the world; just look at whom we waged war against. They stood behind Armenia and continue to stand behind it today, each in their own way. Therefore, we take pride in our Victory, our courage, our resolve, our people, and our state. This, too, serves as a serious barrier against ideological provocations. Of course, our ideological space must be free from foreign elements and foreign influences. This is, at the same time, our foreign policy strategy. We build our foreign policy – and must continue to do so – in such a way that no one interferes in our affairs. We need no one’s help or patronage. When we needed help, no one helped us. When we had one million refugees, no one reached out to us. Whatever we acquired, we purchased with money. That includes all weapons, which were bought with money at world prices-down to the last bullet. I tell you this with full responsibility as Supreme Commander-in-Chief and as the person overseeing all these matters. You know how much Azerbaijan has armed itself since 2003, establishing local production and purchasing from abroad. Not once were we granted a single manat or single dollar discount. In fact, sometimes they sold to us at prices several times higher than the world market rate, and we were forced to turn a blind eye to it. Therefore, this is a very serious matter,” President Ilham Aliyev said.

The 8th Congress of the New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) was held yesterday at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku.

A total of 960 delegates were elected by YAP’s district and city organizations to attend the congress.

As part of preparations for the 8th Congress, reporting conferences were held at 84 local party organizations from September 7 to 19. A total of 16,239 people attended the conferences.

The reporting conferences heard reports on work carried out to fulfill the tasks set after the 7th Congress and discussed the results achieved.

French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump discussed the situation in global energy markets during a phone call overnight.

According to French media, the discussion was confirmed in a statement issued by the Élysée Palace.

The French administration said France and the United States share a common interest in coordinated action ‘without export restrictions.’

Macron stressed the need for cooperation to prevent further increases in fuel prices. He said France was working with the International Energy Agency (IEA) on measures aimed at easing price pressures.

The French president also discussed the issue with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. According to the Élysée Palace, the talks highlighted the need for joint efforts to counter rising fuel prices and ensure the global availability of petroleum products.

The Élysée Palace also provided details about an upcoming videoconference of the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7), which is currently chaired by France.

‘The objective is to coordinate measures aimed at easing price pressures and ensuring supplies of crude oil and petroleum products both among G7 countries and around the world,’ the statement said.

Fuel prices have risen significantly in France, Germany and the United States in recent weeks amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and developments in the Middle East.

Two developments that have attracted attention in Azerbaijan’s industrial policy in the autumn of 2026 are, in fact, separate parts of a broader picture. On September 23, the State Program for the Development of the Mining and Metallurgical Industry for 2027-2030 was approved. On October 1, Czech company CSG announced plans to establish a second joint venture in Azerbaijan and start production of self-propelled howitzers in the country from 2027. The key concept connecting these two areas is an industry that creates high added value.

Azerbaijan’s metallurgical program for 2027-2030 is expressed in substantial figures. The sector’s contribution to GDP is targeted to increase from ?700 million ($411.8 million) to ?1.8 billion ($1.06 billion) by 2030, while annual export potential is expected to rise from ?1.3 billion ($764.7 million) to ?3.4 billion ($2 billion). To achieve these objectives, ?5.3 billion ($3.12 billion) in investment is envisaged for 2027-2030. Of this amount, ?1.1 billion ($647.1 million) is expected to come from the state budget, ?2.2 billion ($1.29 billion) from state-owned enterprises, and ?2 billion ($1.18 billion) from the private sector. Thus, around 80 percent of the total ?5.3 billion ($3.12 billion) investment package is expected to be attracted from non-budget sources.

Behind these figures is the formation of a broad industrial chain covering the development of new mines, the processing of raw materials and the production of high value-added products. A key direction of the State Program is the development of the value chain from raw materials to finished products. The program envisages bringing copper, zinc and lead reserves at the Filizchay deposit into economic circulation, assessing the use of approximately 470,000 tons of additional copper reserves at the Demirli deposit, and developing the Zaylik alunite deposit as a raw material base for the aluminum value chain. At the same time, the possibility of establishing a new primary aluminum plant with an annual production capacity of approximately 200,000 tons is being examined.

The scale of the Filizchay project deserves particular attention. Over the deposit’s 34-year operating period, plans call for 363,000 tons of copper, 2.7 million tons of zinc and 1 million tons of lead resources to be brought into production. The project’s economic value is estimated at ?29.7 billion ($17.47 billion), while the required investment is estimated at approximately ?1 billion ($588.2 million). Initial production at the Ortakand gold deposit in Nakhchivan is scheduled to begin in 2029; the deposit has resources of 246,000 ounces, an economic value of ?1.8 billion ($1.06 billion), and an investment requirement of ?255 million ($150 million).

Adding CSG’s new project in Azerbaijan to this picture reveals another dimension of the country’s industrial policy. The Czech company plans to establish a second joint venture with a local partner in December 2026 and begin production of self-propelled howitzers in 2027. CSG envisages the gradual localization of production, along with the transfer of technology and manufacturing know-how to Azerbaijan. According to the company’s current medium-term plan, the project is expected to generate pound 1.8 billion in business over seven years.

Here, the structure of the project is more important than the figure itself. CSG’s first joint venture in Azerbaijan, VEXA DS, operates in the repair, maintenance and modernization of armored and other ground military equipment. The second venture adds production and technology transfer to this chain. In this way, servicing, modernization, manufacturing and technology become different stages of an industrial ecosystem.

This is precisely where the connection between metallurgy and the defense industry emerges. Modern defense industries rely on the combined activities of numerous sectors, including metal processing, mechanical engineering, electronics, optics, engineering, software and logistics. The expansion of metallurgy strengthens the raw-material and materials base of this industrial chain. The CSG project, meanwhile, represents a concrete example of foreign technology being combined with local production capabilities in Azerbaijan.

This process can create a broader industrial model for Azerbaijan: ore extraction, metal processing, materials production, mechanical engineering, defense manufacturing, technical services and exports. This is why it is interesting to consider the ?3.4 billion ($2 billion) annual metallurgical export potential targeted under the State Program alongside CSG’s pound 1.8 billion seven-year business opportunity. The first figure represents the 2030 target for the sector as a whole, while the second reflects the seven-year business potential of a specific international industrial project.

The next stage in Azerbaijan’s industrial history is defined by the amount of added value that can be generated from the country’s resources domestically, alongside the scale of those resources themselves. The ?5.3 billion ($3.12 billion) metallurgical investment program, projects such as Filizchay, Demirli, Zaylik and Ortakand, the potential 200,000-ton aluminum plant, and CSG’s planned howitzer production from 2027 represent different elements of this direction.

Thus, a new chain is taking shape on Azerbaijan’s industrial map: mineral resources, processing, metal, technology, manufacturing and exports. Each link strengthens the economic weight of the others. The ?1.8 billion ($1.06 billion) GDP contribution and ?3.4 billion ($2 billion) export potential targeted for 2030 demonstrate the scale of this process. CSG’s planned new production in 2027, meanwhile, represents a notable example of this industrial transformation moving toward more sophisticated and technology-oriented stages.

A theatrical concert titled “The Musical World of Bulgakov” has been held at the Azerbaijan State Academic Musical Theatre.

The event was timed to the 135th anniversary of the birth of renowned Russian writer, playwright and theatre director Mikhail Bulgakov, as well as the 60th anniversary of the first publication of his most famous novel, “The Master and Margarita.”

Mikhail Bulgakov’s artistic world contains many mysteries and an inexhaustible range of colors, including the writer’s deep connection with music. His sensitive ear captured and preserved everything in his memory – the intonations of those around him, the timbre of voices, popular melodies he heard on the street, and nuances in opera singers’ performances.

The novels, stories and plays of Bulgakov reflect the entire musical and sonic landscape of his era, with each melody serving as a key to understanding the literary text.

The concert offered audiences musical interpretations of some of the mysteries hidden in Bulgakov’s works. The theatrical production featured familiar characters from his prose, including Professor Preobrazhensky, Major General Charnota, Margarita and Woland, as well as characters and scenes from famous operas such as “Faust,” “La Traviata,” “Demon,” “The Queen of Spades,” “Eugene Onegin” and “The Snow Maiden.”

The production also portrayed Mikhail Bulgakov himself, members of his family and prominent figures of his time, including Alexander Vertinsky and Fyodor Chaliapin.

The artistic director, stage director and presenter of the project, Alena Inyakina, PhD in Art Studies and associate professor at the Baku Music Academy, guided the audience through the role of music in Bulgakov’s works.

She explained how music functions in his writing as a parallel dramatic element, a commentary on the action, a foreshadowing device, a means of psychological characterisation, a musical depiction of scenery and, in some works, an expression of the underlying idea.

The audience enjoyed works from the world’s vocal and instrumental classical repertoire, as well as folk music, performed by international competition laureates, including Honored Artist Anton Fershtandt, theatre soloist Yulia Heydarova, Baku Music Academy accompanist Dilara Karimova, State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre artist Ruslan Persan, State Choral Chapel artists Kamilla Imanova and Elyar Aliyev, Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory student Teymur Kazimov, Baku Music Academy graduate Zeyna Jafarova and Baku Music Academy student Amin Heydarov.

Held to a full house, “The Musical World of Bulgakov” concluded with prolonged applause from the audience.

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

‘The New Azerbaijan Party is the largest political force not only in Azerbaijan, but in the entire South Caucasus,’ President Ilham Aliyev said during his speech at the 8th Congress of the New Azerbaijan Party (YAP).

Emphasizing that the party has been in power for more than thirty years, the head of state noted: ‘The activists of our party have a very large share and a great contribution to the successful and honorable path our country has traversed in recent years.’

The Pentagon is considering expanding the use of uncrewed boats for surveillance operations on the Rio Grande and in the Gulf of Mexico following successful tests of autonomous maritime systems.

The Pentagon is evaluating the wider deployment of Lightfish vessels developed by Seasats. The uncrewed boats have been used since January to detect illegal border crossings and drug trafficking activities.

Ten such vessels are currently involved in the testing program. The US Department of Defense is considering increasing the number by an additional 50 vessels.

According to Pentagon data, the drones have helped detect an average of 452 illegal border-crossing incidents per month, led to the detention of 350 people and helped prevent approximately 100 attempts to cross the border illegally.

The uncrewed boats are equipped with electro-optical, infrared and hydroacoustic sensors, allowing them to monitor their assigned patrol areas for extended periods.

The systems are designed to operate without onboard crews, potentially allowing US authorities to maintain persistent surveillance over border and maritime areas while reducing the need to deploy personnel directly on patrol vessels.

The Pentagon’s consideration of expanding the program comes as US authorities continue to explore autonomous technologies for border surveillance and maritime security operations.

A new resident of the Aghdam Industrial Park will implement a vegetable oil production project with an investment value of ?14.2 million ($8.4 million).

According to the Economic Zones Development Agency (EZDA), Aghdam Agro Oil LLC has been granted resident status at the Aghdam Industrial Park.

The company plans to establish a new oil production facility within the industrial park as part of the investment project. The facility is expected to produce both refined and unrefined sunflower, corn, soybean and cottonseed oils.

The project will expand food-processing activities at the industrial park and contribute to the development of domestic production of vegetable oils. The facility is also expected to support the wider use of locally available agricultural raw materials and create additional industrial capacity in the region.

The Aghdam Industrial Park was established in the Aghdam district on a 190-hectare site under a presidential decree dated May 28, 2021.

The industrial park currently ranks second in Azerbaijan in terms of the number of residents. Products manufactured by companies operating at the park are supplied to the domestic market and exported to foreign markets.

The establishment of the new oil production facility adds another food-processing project to the industrial park and is expected to further expand the range of products manufactured in Aghdam.

Around 7,000 US military personnel are currently stationed in Poland, according to Polish Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk.

Speaking on RMF FM radio, Tomczyk said the number of US troops deployed in Poland had fluctuated between 6,000 and 10,000 in recent years.

US forces are stationed in Poland as part of NATO’s Forward Land Forces and the US-led Atlantic Resolve operation.

Meanwhile, the Polish authorities have said they are ready to host a permanent US military base on Polish territory and have proposed naming the facility after US President Donald Trump.

Trump has also confirmed that he has not ruled out the possibility of establishing such a base in Poland. According to the US president, the proposal is currently under consideration, and a decision on the matter may even have already been made.

The potential establishment of a permanent US military base would further strengthen the longstanding military cooperation between Poland and the United States and would add to the existing American military presence in the country.

The 13th trilateral meeting was held in Shusha between the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, the Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Trkiye, Yasar Gler, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Georgia, Irakli Chikovani.

At the opening ceremony of the trilateral meeting, the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan delivered welcoming remarks. Recalling with fond memories the meetings held in Trkiye last year and in Georgia the year before, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov particularly emphasized that the sincere friendship between the heads of state plays an invaluable role in the continued development of relations between the countries at a high level.

He noted that, thanks to their joint efforts, the Azerbaijani-Georgian-Turkish trilateral cooperation format has evolved into a successful regional cooperation mechanism that can now serve as an example for other countries and continues to make significant contributions to peace, security, and stability.

The Ministers of Defense of Azerbaijan and Georgia once again extended their condolences to their Turkish counterpart over the servicemen who lost their lives in the plane crash, respectfully expressing their solidarity with the Turkish people in their grief.

During the meeting, it was noted that our peoples have lived in an atmosphere of good-neighborly relations and friendship for centuries, and that relations between our countries continue to develop dynamically.

It was emphasized that cooperation based on mutual trust is of great importance in ensuring the well-being of our peoples.

The meeting also highlighted the challenges of the modern era, as well as the importance of joining efforts to counter factors that may pose threats to the security of the region.

The Ministers of Defense particularly emphasized the importance of expanding the scope of trilateral exercises and training activities.

The sides expressed confidence that expanding trilateral cooperation in the field of defense will be beneficial not only for our countries but also for strengthening peace, stability, and security in the region.

The parties emphasized the importance of the ‘Eternity,’ ‘Caucasus Eagle,’ and other joint exercises conducted with the participation of our servicemen, reiterating that these activities play an important role in enhancing cooperation, exchanging experience, and strengthening the defense capabilities of our armies.

At the same time, the ministers discussed cooperation in the military, military-technical, military-educational, and military-medical fields, exchanged detailed views on proposals regarding prospects for expanding trilateral ties, as well as on other issues of mutual interest.

At the conclusion, a protocol on the outcomes of the trilateral meeting was signed, followed by a press conference for media representatives.

During the press conference, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov emphasized the usefulness of the meetings held and expressed satisfaction with the dynamics of cooperation between our countries. The Minister noted that the sides intend to further expand and deepen these ties.