Category: Azer News

The 2025 Caspian Technical Conference, organized by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), is taking place today in Baku, Azernews reports.

This year’s event is hosted with the support of SOCAR and is held under the theme ‘Learning from the Past, Reimagining the Present, Inspiring the Future.’

Over the next two days, participants will engage in discussions on digitalization, the application of artificial intelligence, enhanced reservoir performance, as well as safety and sustainable supply-key priorities shaping the future of the region’s energy sector.

The program includes an opening ceremony, the presentation of SPE regional awards, two high-level plenary sessions, and more than twenty thematic panels featuring both practical case studies and analytical reports.

Speakers will include representatives from major international companies and leading academic institutions. A technology exhibition will run alongside the conference, where companies will showcase new tools, engineering solutions, and innovations expected to influence the industry’s future landscape.

SPE-the Society of Petroleum Engineers-is a global organization uniting 132,000 professionals from 146 countries. The organization develops professional standards, designs educational programs, supports technical communities, and serves as a platform for industry knowledge exchange. SPE maintains offices in Calgary, Dallas, Dubai, Houston, and Kuala Lumpur.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Holy See, during his official visit to Vatican City, Azernews reports citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the meeting, both sides reviewed the steadily developing Azerbaijan-Vatican partnership, expressing satisfaction with the constructive dialogue built on mutual respect. They highlighted ongoing cooperation in promoting interfaith harmony, supporting cultural diplomacy, and advancing global peace initiatives.

The importance of continued high-level reciprocal visits was emphasized as a key element in strengthening political dialogue, expanding humanitarian and cultural ties, and broadening joint international initiatives. The sides also discussed the successful conservation and restoration projects in the Vatican supported by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, acknowledging their significant contribution to safeguarding global religious and cultural heritage.

The conversation additionally underlined Azerbaijan’s long-term commitment to protecting religious monuments and promoting multicultural values both at home and internationally.

The meeting also touched on the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process, focusing on the implementation of the Washington Summit agreements and the ongoing reconstruction efforts in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev shared a post on his social media accounts on the occasion of the anniversary of Kalbajar’s liberation from occupation, Azernews reports.

The post reads: ‘Our Victory History: November 25, 2020 – Kalbajar.’

Baku hosted a solidarity forum of NGOs from the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) member countries, which will continue in Nakhchivan on November 25, Azernews reports.

The participants began the event by visiting the monument of National Leader Heydar Aliyev in Nakhchivan and laying flowers in front of it.

The forum will feature official speeches, the establishment of the Platform of NGOs of the OTS member countries, and a panel discussion titled “Towards WUF13 – the first in the Turkic world.”

The newly established platform, led by Azerbaijan, will bring together NGOs from eight OTS member countries.

‘As we worked with children, we began to see how domestic violence, divorce, and emotional challenges faced by mothers were becoming increasingly common. It became clear that a separate support service for women was essential,’ said Kamala Ashumova, Executive Director of the Reliable Future Social Initiatives Public Union, speaking at the presentation of the Women’s Support Helpline Brochure in Spanish on November 25, Azernews reports.

Ashumova explained that Reliable Future has been working since the 1990s, focusing on the reintegration and empowerment of vulnerable social groups. However, direct experience in child protection revealed deeper systemic issues affecting women in families and communities.

‘What started as support for children quickly showed us that mothers themselves needed a dedicated space for psychological, social, and legal assistance,’ she noted.

Azercell played a key role in transforming this idea into a fully operating service. With the company’s commitment and humanitarian approach, the Women’s Support Helpline began functioning 24 hours a day. In 2022, the State Committee for Family, Women and Children’s Affairs joined the initiative, expanding its institutional support.

The growing need is reflected in the numbers. Since the service was launched in 2022, more than 11,000 calls and applications have been received. In 2025 alone – as of November – inquiries exceeded 2,500, continuing the upward trend from the previous year, when over 1,400 women sought assistance.

Ashumova emphasised that challenges faced by women are not confined to the private sphere. ‘These issues appear both at home and in professional and social environments,’ she said. That is why strengthening and expanding the service remains a priority.

Today, the Women’s Support Helpline operates with a fully trained professional team, providing uninterrupted 24/7 assistance to women and children who need immediate psychological, legal, or social support.

The ‘Procedure for Determining the Amount of Fees for Managing State-Established Agroparks’ has been approved.

Azernews reports that Agriculture Minister Majnun Mammadov has signed the corresponding decision.

Under the decision, the Procedure sets out the rules for determining the amount of fees for the management of agroparks established by the state.

The fee (hereinafter referred to as ‘the fee’) will cover expenses related to the maintenance of infrastructure and common-use areas within state-established agroparks. These costs will be paid by the agropark’s resident enterprises.

The amount of the fee will be determined based on the volume of services provided to residents of state-established agroparks.

The fee will be set annually per hectare of land, inclusive of value-added tax.

When determining the fee, factors such as the period during which residents generate profit from their agricultural activities, the type of business activity, and the social character of the investment project will be taken into account.

The social character of an investment project refers to cases where persons registered as jobseekers or unemployed under the State Employment Agency’s self-employment program are registered as residents of the state-established agropark and engage in entrepreneurial activities there.

Residents will be required to pay the fee by transferring it to the bank account of the managing organisation within 30 calendar days after the completion of the first 12 months following the signing of a business activity contract.

The fee amount will be determined separately for each state-established agropark.

The fee rates will be as follows:

For annual crops (excluding vegetable farms) and fodder crops: 100% from the first year;

For perennial crops (excluding social orchards): 20% during years 1-3, 60% during years 4-5, and 100% from year 6 onwards;

For social orchards: 0% during years 1-3, 60% during years 4-5, and 100% from year 6 onwards;

For nurseries: 18% in the first year and 100% from the second year onwards;

For vegetable farms: 44% in the first year and 100% from the second year onwards;

For greenhouses and innovative plant production: 44% in the first year and 100% from the second year onwards;

For modern livestock and poultry complexes, modern fish farms, processing and packaging of agricultural products, service facilities, including storage, sorting, and sale: 33% during the construction period and 100% from the first year of operation.

For reference, the decision was adopted on September 26, entered into the State Register of Legal Acts on November 20, and came into force on November 21.

On November 29, the International Mugham Center will host a concert titled “Con Moto”, featuring the Cadenza Contemporary Orchestra and the Baku Contemporary Music Society, Azernews reports.

The program will include the world premiere in Azerbaijan of “Echoes of Sound” by Vladimir Runchak, the String Quartet “In Memory of Indira Gandhi” by Chara Nurymov, and Preludes No. 2 and No. 7 by Gara Garayev (arranged by Lala Piriyeva). It will also feature “Con Moto” by Benjamin Yusupov and “The Lamb” by John Tavener (arranged by Ayaz Gambarli).

The concert promises a unique musical experience with these extraordinary pieces being performed in Azerbaijan for the first time. The event starts at 19:00. Admission is free.

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

A grand presentation of the second anthology of the post-war project “The Word of Heroes” has been held at the Baku Museum Center, Azernews reports.

The first anthology was published five years ago with the support of the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry, shortly after Azerbaijan’s victory in the Second Garabagh War. It was released following the defeat of the Armenian occupiers and the end of the occupation of Garabagh in the 44-day Patriotic War.

The “Word of Heroes” project, founded by the renowned poet and public figure Nigar Hasanzade, has become not only a significant cultural event in the post-war period but also an important rehabilitation and social initiative that brings together talented war veterans, including poets, musicians, and vocalists.

“Over the five years since its inception, the participating poets have performed in some of the most prestigious venues in the country, captivating audiences and sparking great interest among everyone who had the chance to listen to them and meet them. Their highly successful poems have been included in anthologies. Veteran-poets have been invited to appear on television and radio, and many have gained recognition on social media. Among them are participants of various literary festivals, competitions, and marathons, as well as Presidential scholarship recipients. In 2022, the project opened the famous Molla Panah Vagif Poetry Days festival in Shusha, creating a significant resonance both within the country and among our compatriots abroad,” she noted.

In the official part of the program, speeches were made by Orkhan Fikratoglu, the Advisor to the Culture Minister, poet and project director Nigar Hasanzade, veterans of the First Garabagh War-Colonel Lieutenant Elmar Huseynov and Colonel Lieutenant Elkhan Mammadov, as well as a member of the Azerbaijani Parliament, Vugar Iskanderov.

The event was also attended by Denis Kuzlayev, a hero of the Second Garabagh War, and Regina Kovalyova, the daughter of Azerbaijan’s National Hero Yuri Kovalyov, who was killed during the First Garabagh War.

At the presentation of the second anthology, a literary-musical program was presented, featuring performances by poets and musicians-Garabagh war veterans Eyvaz Ayyub, Miri Abdullayev, Javid Gasimov, Karam Aydin, Mabud Ahmadov, Farid Atazade, Idris Huseynov, Elshan Bannayev, as well as the youngest participant of the project, the winner of the 8th “Mugham” Television Competition, Hazrat Azizli.

At the founding conference of the NGO Platform of the Member States of the Organization of Turkic States, held in Nakhchivan on November 25, a formal decision was adopted appointing Az?r Allahveranov as the Platform’s Secretary General.

Azernews reports that Allahveranov, a member of the Board of the National NGO Forum of Azerbaijan and a Member of the National Assembly, will lead the newly established platform, which unites civil society representatives from Azerbaijan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Hungary, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

It was noted that although representatives from eight different countries participated, everyone is united by a shared Turkic identity, common culture and values, forming a single family in which all feel comfortable, safe and strong. The participants agreed that by acting together, more impactful and effective results can be achieved.

For the first time, representatives of civil society from Azerbaijan, Trkiye, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Hungary, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus signed a Joint Declaration and established the NGO Platform of the Member States of the Organization of Turkic States.

Azerbaijan was entrusted with the first chairmanship of the new NGO Platform. The Secretary General will rotate depending on which country holds the chairmanship of the Organization of Turkic States, and will be selected from distinguished civil society representatives of that country. However, the permanent headquarters of the Platform will be located in Baku.

This represents a historic achievement and a new demonstration of the rapid development of Azerbaijani NGOs in recent years, whose initiatives have gained broad international support.

The announcement of the NGO Platform of the Member States of the Organization of Turkic States was welcomed with applause by representatives from all member countries.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to His Majesty Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, Azernews reports.

”Your Majesty,

On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend to you, and through you to your entire people, my sincere congratulations and best wishes on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Brunei Darussalam.

Over the past thirty years, the friendly relations established between our countries have created favorable opportunities for the development of cooperation in a number of areas of mutual interest.

We are determined to further expand our interstate relations with Brunei Darussalam and to enrich our cooperation with new content. I am confident that we will successfully continue our joint efforts to strengthen ties between Azerbaijan and Brunei Darussalam in the interests of our peoples, and to deepen our cooperation both bilaterally and within multilateral platforms.

Taking this opportunity, I wish you good health, happiness, and every success in your high state activities, as well as lasting prosperity and well-being to your friendly people,” the letter reads.