Category: Azer News

‘The sight of the leaders of Azerbaijan, Trkiye, and Pakistan standing together at the military parade is not just a photograph of diplomacy; it is a historic affirmation of a shared soul and strategic destiny.’

This was stated by Mr. Qaiser Nawab, prominent Pakistani youth leader and President of the Pakistan-Azerbaijan Alumni Association (PAAA), in his remarks to Azernews following the historic visit of the Pakistani Prime Minister to Azerbaijan and the participation of the three nations’ leaders in a landmark military parade.

Mr. Nawab noted that the profound relationship among the three brotherly nations is rooted in common faith, culture, and reciprocal support-one that transcends political alliances to form a genuine brotherhood. He emphasized that the recent developments mark a defining moment in decades-long cooperation.

‘The presence of our Prime Minister in Baku, alongside our brothers, sends an unambiguous message to the world: when it comes to regional peace, stability, and mutual development, Azerbaijan, Trkiye, and Pakistan stand as one, unbreakable force,’ he said.

Highlighting the importance of youth and alumni engagement in strengthening trilateral ties, Mr. Nawab underscored that the unity demonstrated in Baku will help ensure a prosperous and peaceful future for the next generation.

‘Our nations have always supported each other through challenging times. This trilateral convergence, symbolized by the joint military display, secures the foundations for a prosperous future, ensuring that the next generation inherits a strong, strategically aligned, and peaceful region. We, the alumni and youth leaders, are committed to transforming this deep-seated camaraderie into even greater economic, educational, and defense collaboration,’ he added.

Expressing his gratitude for the recent praise bestowed upon him by the President of Azerbaijan, Mr. Nawab stated that such recognition only strengthens his resolve to serve the cause of trilateral friendship.

‘To receive such high recognition from His Excellency the President of Azerbaijan is an honor that only deepens my resolve to serve the cause of this vital trilateral friendship.’

Mr. Nawab concluded by reaffirming the commitment of the Pakistan-Azerbaijan Alumni Association to building bridges between the people and ensuring that the strategic vision shared by the leaders of the three nations continues to be strengthened through active youth and community engagement.

Azerbaijani swimmer Ramil Alizadeh won a silver medal at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.

Azernews reports that the athlete came in second in the 200-meter butterfly swimming race with a time of 2.01.16.

With this, the number of medals won by Azerbaijani swimmers at the Islamiad has reached 3. Previously, Suleyman Ismayilzadeh won bronze in the 1,500-meter freestyle, and the Azerbaijani women’s team won bronze in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay.

The large-scale tree-planting campaign held every year on 11 November in brotherly Turkey under the slogan ‘Breath for the Future!’ has already become a tradition in Azerbaijan.

The spokesperson of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Irad? Ibrahimova, told AZ?RTAC that Azerbaijan is once again supporting Turkey’s initiative this year.

‘Within the campaign organised by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, 111,111 trees will be planted across all regions of our country. We believe that these trees will eventually grow into broad green areas and make a significant contribution to the environment,’ Irad? Ibrahimova said.

She noted that since 11 November falls on a non-working day this year, the campaign in Azerbaijan will be held on 12 November:

‘The campaign will begin in the settlement of Msfiqabad, with the participation of officials and employees of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, eco-volunteers, and representatives of the embassies of the member states of the Organization of Turkic States. A total of 1,111 trees will be planted in Msfiqabad.’

Azerbaijani athletes are scheduled to compete in five different sports today at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games, currently underway in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.

Azernews reports that the national team will be represented in mixed-team judo, swimming, weightlifting, table tennis, and boxing as they continue their pursuit of medals.

Azerbaijan has sent a delegation of 179 athletes to the Games, participating across 20 sporting disciplines. Overall, the event brings together competitors from 57 countries, who are battling for medals in 23 sports.

The Islamic Solidarity Games will conclude with a closing ceremony on 21 November.

Britain is deploying anti-drone equipment and personnel to Belgium following a series of sightings near airports and military installations, the head of the U.K. armed forces said Sunday.

Although neither Belgium nor the U.K. has accused anyone of operating the unidentified drones, these incidents are part of a broader pattern of airspace violations affecting several European countries, including areas around NATO bases. Some U.S. allies have described the activity as a component of escalating Russian ‘hybrid warfare.’

In recent days, drone sightings forced temporary closures at Belgium’s main international airport in Brussels and at a major cargo airport near Liège. Authorities also reported multiple unidentified drone flights near a military base that stores U.S. nuclear weapons.

Air Chief Marshal Richard Knighton said the U.K. responded to a request from Belgian authorities by sending personnel and equipment to assist in countering the drone threat.

A cycling march was held on the occasion of 9 November – State Flag Day, organised jointly by the Azerbaijan Cycling Federation, the Seaside Boulevard Administration, and the ‘Regional Development’ Public Union.

The event started at State Flag Square, with the Minister of Youth and Sports, Farid Gayibov, also participating on his bicycle, according to the Azerbaijan Cycling Federation. More than 300 professional and amateur cyclists, including para-cyclists, rode along the bicycle paths of the Seaside Boulevard towards Victory Park. From the ‘Crescent Mall’ area to Victory Park, the participants were accompanied by motorcyclists carrying the Azerbaijani flags.

At the finish line, commemorative medals were presented to the participants. Afterwards, flowers were laid at the Victory Park monument, and the memory of the heroes of the 44-day Patriotic War was honoured with respect.

Answering questions from the media, the First Vice-President of the Azerbaijan Cycling Federation, Sahib Alakbarov, stated that the main purpose of the event was to highlight the public significance of State Flag Day, instil respect for the glorious Victory Flag among young people, attract teenagers and youth to cycling – considered an elite sport – and encourage wider use of the cycling lanes built across the country.

The cycling march concluded in front of the Victory Arch with performances of patriotic music and the ‘Yalli’ dance.

The US has partially suspended imposition of Caesar Act sanctions on Syria for 180 days, the Treasury Department announced Monday.

The suspension replaces a May 23 waiver, which also granted a 180-day exemption from mandatory Caesar Act sanctions, and represents “our commitment to continued sanctions relief for Syria,” according to an advisory from the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

The move coincided with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s history-making visit to Washington.

The suspension halts the imposition of Caesar Act sanctions except for certain transactions involving the governments of Russia and Iran, or transfers of Russian-origin or Iranian-origin goods, technology, software, funds, financing, or services, according to the advisory

The 2019 Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act has been a central element of US policy pressuring the former Syrian regime of Bashar Assad, which was ousted last December. The sanctions block international investments and economic transactions involving the Syrian government and its affiliates.

The South Caucasus is no longer a peripheral zone between Europe and Russia. It is rapidly transforming into a geopolitical hub, shaped by shifting global power dynamics and the rise of new actors such as China and India. As global logistics corridors expand and energy routes diversify, the region’s strategic importance grows exponentially. Once a buffer between NATO and Russia, the South Caucasus is now asserting itself as a contributor to global realignment – a trend made unmistakably clear by the war in Ukraine.

India’s increasing involvement in the region, particularly through Armenia, is emblematic of this shift. Over the past several years, and especially since 2020, India has ramped up its military support for Armenia. While Armenian officials and media outlets often attribute this to Russia’s distraction in Ukraine and its inability to fulfil defence obligations, a deeper analysis reveals a more calculated strategy. India is leveraging the geopolitical vacuum to establish its own footprint in the region, not merely as a supplier of arms, but as a rising power seeking influence in Eurasia.

This development is understandably unsettling for regional actors, especially Azerbaijan, which has long suffered from Armenia’s irredentist and expansionist foreign policies. However, where there is the proverbial poison, there is also an antidote. India’s ambitions are counterbalanced by China, its technological rival in Asia and a global power with growing interests in the South Caucasus. Azerbaijan has responded by deepening its ties with China across political, economic, cultural, and now military domains.

Historically, Azerbaijan relied on Pakistan to offset India’s influence. That partnership remains strong, but now China has entered the equation. Until recently, Azerbaijan’s defence cooperation with China was indirect, often mediated through third countries. A prime example is the acquisition of the Polonez multiple launch rocket system, co-produced by Belarus and China, which significantly enhanced Azerbaijan’s artillery capabilities. The most prominent Chinese-origin platform in Azerbaijan’s arsenal is the JF-17 Block 3 fighter jet – a joint product of China and Pakistan. This aircraft has dramatically boosted Azerbaijan’s air force capabilities, with its Chinese-made avionics and weapon systems, including the PL-15E air-to-air missile, which extended Azerbaijan’s strike range by 40-50 percent. No neighboring country, excluding Russia, currently fields a comparable platform.

Speculation about further Chinese acquisitions intensified when Lieutenant General Namig Islamzade, commander of Azerbaijan’s Air Force, was reported to be evaluating the J-10CE – a fourth-generation Chinese fighter with fifth-generation capabilities. This coincided with Azerbaijan’s broader efforts to modernize its air fleet, sparking rumors that the country might soon procure advanced Chinese aircraft directly. Unfortunately, this speculation has not turned into reality so far.

Senegal is resisting calls from the International Monetary Fund to restructure its debt, its prime minister said, as the nation grapples with its worst economic crisis in decades. Ousmane Sonko, addressing a rally in Dakar, said such a move would be ‘a disgrace.’

The IMF froze Senegal’s $1.8 billion program last year after its government disclosed hidden debts shortly after coming to power, blaming the hole in the public purse on the previous administration. The debts have since ballooned to more than $11 billion.

Sonko’s comments came days after the IMF completed a mission to Senegal on Thursday without agreeing a new lending program. The government unveiled an economic recovery plan in August, 90% of which it said would be financed through domestic resources to avoid incurring additional debt. The increasingly parlous state of Francophone West Africa’s second-largest economy led to a credit downgrade by S and P in July which has pushed up borrowing costs.

About 100 South Korean consumer goods companies signed export deals and memorandums of understanding worth a combined US$11 million with U.S. buyers at the Korea Brand and Entertainment Expo (KBEE) in New Jersey last week, Azernews reports, citing Yonhap.

The KBEE 2025 New York event was held from Thursday to Saturday (local time) at the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey, just outside New York City. It aimed to promote exports of Korean consumer goods, such as cosmetics, food and fashion items, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA).

This marked the first time the KBEE — now in its 25th edition — was held in North America, reflecting the surging popularity of Korean culture across the region, officials said.

Among 335 South Korean firms participating in the expo, around 100 clinched export deals and MOUs worth a total of $11 million with buyers from across North and South America, the agencies said.

“Our K-culture-linked export strategy, launched for the first time in North America, played a key role in helping small and medium-sized enterprises establish a local presence,” an industry ministry official said.

The next KBEE is scheduled to be held in Malaysia in December.