Category: Azer News

Following Algeria’s decision to sever diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates, the country has decided to close its airspace to all aircraft registered in the UAE, Algeria’s Ministry of National Defence said.

According to the information, the ban applies to both civilian and military aircraft.

The restrictions will not affect UAE commercial passenger flights operating to and from Algiers’ Houari Boumediene International Airport. These flights will continue to operate until the end of 2026, when the relevant contract expires.

On September 10, Algeria decided to sever diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates.

“Algeria has decided to sever diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates after all means of maintaining them had been exhausted,” the statement said.

The country’s authorities said they took the step “after all options for maintaining bilateral ties had been exhausted.”

The official reasons for the decision have not yet been disclosed.

Qatar has questioned whether the existing US military presence in the Gulf is sufficient to ensure long-term regional security, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari calling for greater self-reliance among Gulf states.

Speaking at the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi, al-Ansari said Gulf countries would continue to need international partners, including the United States, but should not rely solely on external powers for their security, according to Middle East Eye.

‘We cannot depend on them alone for our security,’ al-Ansari said, stressing the need for Gulf states to develop greater capacity to protect their own security interests.

The remarks came after Qatar was targeted by Iranian retaliatory strikes during the recent US-Israeli war with Iran. Qatar hosts Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US military facility in the Arab world and the regional headquarters of US Central Command.

Al-Ansari also addressed relations with Iran, saying that rebuilding trust with Tehran would be necessary. He described Iran as a neighboring country with which Gulf states would ultimately have to find a way to coexist, according to The National.

The problem of transit through the Strait of Hormuz is beginning to affect an increasing number of countries. The volume of liquefied natural gas (LNG) transported through the strait has already fallen by 92 percent. But that’s not the worst part. On September 9, Iran announced the creation of a new maritime “exclusion zone” or “restricted zone” in the Persian Gulf, which, according to Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezai, will begin at the borders of the American blockade of Iranian ports and extend to parts of the Gulf. Thus, any vessel entering the zone will be placed on Iran’s sanctions list.

In the last quarter of the previous year, 21.6 million barrels of oil per day passed through the Strait of Hormuz. Following the outbreak of the US-Iran war, this figure fell to 4.9 million barrels per day in the second quarter of this year. Over the same period, LNG flows through the strait declined from 10.5 billion cubic feet per day to 800 million cubic feet. As a result, oil volumes passing through the Strait of Hormuz fell by 77 percent over the period in question, while LNG shipments declined by 92 percent. The sharp drop in LNG flows points to a much deeper disruption to liquefied gas transportation along this strategically important route.

According to the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), around one-fifth of global LNG supplies pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the only maritime route used by Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for their LNG exports. As the conflict intensified, the global LNG market experienced a significant decline between March and June. During this period, more than 300 LNG cargoes from Qatar and around 20 from the UAE could not be delivered.

Company Clarksons Research also shows how the difference between oil and LNG flows is reflected in tanker traffic. During the week of June 21-27, 66 crude oil tankers and 16 LNG vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz. In the week of August 23-29, however, only four crude oil tankers made the passage.

India has felt the consequences of the decline in transit particularly sharply. The country is the world’s second-largest importer of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) after China. India consumes more than 33 million tonnes of LPG annually, of which 13.1 million tonnes are supplied by domestic production and processing. The remaining volumes are imported from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Between March and July, India received only 60 percent of the volumes it had purchased from the Persian Gulf during the same period last year. With storage capacity limited, importers have turned to the US market.

LPG supertankers are now forced to travel along the Atlantic coast, round Africa’s Cape of Good Hope and continue through the Indian Ocean. Previously, a voyage from the Persian Gulf to the Indian port of Haldia took around two weeks. The new route from the US Gulf Coast takes more than 45 days each way. The full delivery-and-return cycle has therefore increased to three months, while freight costs have risen by 30 percent.

Europe has also been hit hard. Following an unusually hot summer and amid risks to LNG supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, the European fuel market is becoming increasingly volatile. Having moved away from Russian gas, the EU now relies on supplies from the US and Norway for almost 60 percent of its needs, making a fresh price spike potentially a greater threat this winter than an actual hydrocarbon shortage. The European Union is entering the winter season with its lowest gas storage level in 15 years, at 65.6 percent. Among the most vulnerable EU countries is Germany, Europe’s traditional industrial powerhouse. According to Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE), underground gas storage facilities were only 65.6 percent full at the beginning of September – the lowest level recorded for this period since 2011.

Disruptions to supplies from the Middle East have also affected the wider Asian market, which has an annual turnover of $80 billion. In China, the world’s largest consumer of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), petrochemical companies have been forced to scale back production in an effort to reduce fuel consumption. Indonesia, where more than three-quarters of LPG consumption is covered by imports due to insufficient domestic processing capacity, has also come under price pressure. In April, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto visited Russia to discuss direct energy supplies and ways to diversify imports.

After six months of war, the Strait of Hormuz has effectively ceased to function as a normal trade route. According to Kpler, an average of only around 10 vessels a day passed through the strait in the 10 days to September 8, the lowest level since May. On September 7, just seven cargo vessels passed through the waterway. The Gulf states, which were considered a benchmark of stability before the war, are bearing much of the burden of the conflict. They are increasing security spending and diversifying their international partnerships. For instance, in the UAE, work on pipelines designed to bypass the Strait of Hormuz is being expanded, while ports outside the strait are experiencing a surge in activity.

Experts point to significant structural differences between oil and LNG transportation and infrastructure. Oil benefits from a larger and more flexible tanker fleet, as well as extensive storage capacity, while LNG lacks the same degree of flexibility. Differences in oil and LNG transportation are shaped by tanker fleets, storage facilities, vessel costs, security risks and the geographical concentration of LNG export infrastructure.

Security risks in the Strait of Hormuz are therefore having a direct impact on energy transportation. While a limited number of oil tankers continue to pass through the strait, disruptions are proving far more pronounced in LNG transportation.

While senior US and Iranian officials argue over who controls the Strait of Hormuz and how it should be used, countries continue to suffer heavy losses. The most negative scenario may not be a formal declaration of a complete blockade, but a prolonged period of uncertainty. Iran does not necessarily have to block every vessel from passing through the strait. It is enough for shipowners, insurers and captains to consider Hormuz too dangerous. In that case, the strait would remain formally open but become almost impassable for commercial shipping. As we noted earlier in the article, insurance costs are also rising rapidly. After all, why take on a route that offers no guarantees of safe passage?

The V International Black Sea-Caspian Transport Forum, titled “Corridors. Infrastructure. Investments,” was held in Baku, bringing together experts and industry representatives to discuss the development of transport and logistics links across the region.

The forum featured several panel discussions focusing on major issues shaping regional connectivity, including “The Black Sea-Caspian Region on the New Map of Global Logistics: The Role of Azerbaijan, Corridors and Freight Flows,” “The Middle Corridor: Resilience and Competitiveness,” “The Architecture and Services of the Multimodal Route: Ports and Terminals, Digitalization and Insurance,” and “Investment in the Region’s Transport and Logistics Infrastructure: Priorities, Instruments and Sources of Capital.”

During the forum, experts shared their views on the development of regional transport routes and Azerbaijan’s growing role in the logistics network.

According to Orkhan Yolchuyev, Director and Co-Founder of the Baku-based CASPIA Center, Azerbaijan has emerged as a key hub in the evolving Black Sea-Caspian transport architecture. He noted that several major transport corridors and routes intersect in the region, including the North-South Corridor and Black Sea routes, placing Azerbaijan at the center of the emerging logistics network.

Azerbaijan has already built important advantages through its railway and port infrastructure, as well as its wider transport and logistics capabilities.

It was also highlighted during the forum that Azerbaijan is connected to more than 33 countries through its transport network, with major routes linking the country to Georgia, Trkiye, Russia and European markets.

The development of railway infrastructure and the expansion of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway are aimed at increasing the capacity of regional transport corridors. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway currently has a capacity of around 30,000 tons annually and the line has already been expanded.

The maritime sector is also expected to play an increasingly important role. The Port of Baku currently has significant cargo-handling capacity, which is expected to grow further as infrastructure development continues. According to information presented at the forum, the port currently has an annual handling capacity of around 150,000 tons, with this figure expected to increase to approximately 260,000 tons next year.

At the same time, experts stressed that infrastructure alone will not be enough to ensure the long-term development of regional routes.

Coordination between the countries along the Middle Corridor has become essential for the route’s development, Aizhan Beiseyeva said. Head of CPCS Central Asia noted that the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor, has reached a stage where better coordination between the countries involved is necessary.

“In my view, we have already reached the point where both practitioners and experts agree that without coordination, the Middle Corridor cannot develop successfully,” she added.

The Middle Corridor, or Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, connects Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus, Trkiye and Europe. In recent years, it has become one of the fastest-growing routes for trade between East and West. For Azerbaijan, the route is particularly important, as one of its central sections runs through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Interest in the Middle Corridor increased sharply after 2022, when many countries and companies began looking more actively for alternative and efficient routes between Asia and Europe. Between 2019 and 2021, around 0.6-0.8 million tons of cargo was transported along the route annually. By 2024, volumes had exceeded 4.5 million tons, highlighting the rapid growth of the Trans-Caspian route.

Azerbaijan, as a country that is at the center of this transport chain, has direct consequences for this growth.Cargo flows are increasingly passing through the country, where maritime, railway and logistics routes come together. Azerbaijan had already been preparing for this shift by investing in ports, railways, logistics facilities and international cooperation. According to forecasts by the OECD and EBRD, if key sections of the route are developed consistently, freight volumes could reach 10-11 million tons by 2030.

Dastan Ospanov, Commercial Director at TransConsulting, in a commentary for AzerNEWS said that Azerbaijan is playing a central role in shaping an integrated logistics chain connecting Central Asia, the South Caucasus and Europe.

“Azerbaijan is the heart of the Middle Corridor and sets the pace for the development of this route,” Ospanov noted.

He emphasized that Azerbaijan needs to keep up with the rapid development of infrastructure in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to ensure the Middle Corridor continues to expand effectively.

Ospanov highlighted Azerbaijan’s strategic decisions in developing the route, including the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which was financed from Azerbaijan’s own funds.

He also noted Azerbaijan’s significant role in maritime transportation along the Middle Corridor, including its control and ownership of vessels operating between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

“At the same time, Kazakhstan should not rely entirely on the Azerbaijani side. Its government and businesses should also contribute their own efforts to the development of the project,” Ospanov said.

He emphasized that the Middle Corridor should not be viewed merely as a transit route connecting China and Europe, but also as an opportunity to expand export-import relations among the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). According to Ospanov, the corridor will be truly successful when goods from Azerbaijan and Trkiye become readily available on the shelves of Kazakhstan, while Kazakh products can likewise reach Azerbaijani markets.

Turning to Azerbaijan’s position as a logistics hub, Ospanov said the country already has all four major modes of transport: air, rail, maritime and road. He highlighted the establishment of the Alat Free Economic Zone and its attractive tax incentives for businesses as an important factor strengthening Azerbaijan’s position as a regional logistics center.

Ospanov expressed confidence that Baku will become a key hub within the Middle Corridor supply chains in the near future.

He also pointed to the further development of the North-South corridor and the planned development of the TRIPP route, saying that these projects would create additional opportunities for Baku and contribute to the emergence of a major multimodal logistics hub.

The Russian Embassy in Hungary said on Wednesday that it would continue working to maintain a “mutually respectful and productive dialogue” with Budapest despite Hungary’s decision to expel 10 Russian diplomats.

“Despite what has happened, the Embassy will continue its work to maintain a mutually respectful and productive dialogue between our countries and peoples, but any unfriendly provocation will be met with an adequate and firm response,” the embassy wrote on Telegram.

It described the expulsions as an “unfriendly action” and said the move did not serve Hungary’s national interests or strengthen its security and sovereignty. “Nothing like this has ever happened in the modern history of our countries,” the statement read. The embassy also accused Budapest of a growing “loss of foreign policy autonomy” and warned that bilateral cooperation is “now at stake.”

The 14th International Altay Communities Symposium, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress, has kicked off at the Presidium building of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS).

This year’s symposium focuses on “Altaic Studies: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.” It is organized by ANAS and the Institute of Folklore with the support of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), TURKSOY, the Turkish Historical Society, the International Turkic Academy and the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB).

Scholars and specialists from 15 countries are taking part in the four-day event. Alongside Azerbaijan, participating countries include Turkiye, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, India, China, Japan, North Macedonia, Hungary, Germany and Russia.

Opening the event, President of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS),Academician Isa Habibbayli said that international scientific gatherings devoted to Altaic studies make an important contribution to the development of Turkological research around the world.

He noted that holding the symposium in Baku, at the same historic venue where the First Turkological Congress was held in 1926, gives the event particular historical and academic significance. According to Habibbeyli, discussions held a century ago on the future of the languages, history, culture and scholarly study of Turkic peoples remain relevant today.

Isa Habibbayli stressed the importance of continuing the scholarly traditions established by the First Turkological Congress and enriching them through contemporary research. Habibbeyli expressed hope that the 14th International Altay Communities Symposium would further expand international academic cooperation with Azerbaijan and wished the participants success.

Professor Ilhan Sahin, President of the Academic Society of the Altaic Communities and Professor at Istanbul 29 May University, said that holding the symposium in Baku was particularly meaningful. He noted that the centenary of the First Turkological Congress gave this year’s meeting a special historical significance.

Ilhan Sahin recalled that scholars who gathered in Baku a century ago held important discussions on the languages, history, cultures and societies of Turkic peoples. He said that the Altay Communities symposium series, now being held for the 14th time, has become an important forum for examining these issues from a scholarly perspective.

This year’s programme covers a wide range of subjects, including the migration and movements of Altay peoples, language, literature, history, religion and beliefs, family values and traditions.

Academician Shahin Mustafayev, President of the International Turkic Academy, said the First Turkological Congress held in Baku in 1926 marked the beginning of a new stage in the history of Turkological studies.

He noted that over the past century, Turkology has moved beyond the study of language and literature to become a broad interdisciplinary field encompassing history, archaeology, anthropology, ethnography, art history, genetics and digital humanities.

Shahin Mustafayev stressed the particular importance of Altay for the Turkic world, describing the region as an important reference point for studying Turkic history, languages and early cultural processes across Eurasia.

He also drew attention to the distinction between preserving a shared heritage and claiming exclusive ownership of it. According to Mustafayev, historical and cultural heritage should not be presented as the exclusive property of any single people or state.

Shahin Mustafayev pointed out that the research on Altay should instead be based on an open and comparative scholarly approach that takes into account historical contacts and cultural exchanges among different peoples.

Other speakers at the opening included Alptekin Cihangir Isbilir, Counsellor at the Embassy of Turkiye in Azerbaijan; Aktoty Raimkulova, President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation; Professor Haluk Selvi, President of the Turkish Historical Society; Academician Govhar Bakhshaliyeva, Acting Vice President of ANAS; and Halit Eren, former President of TIKA.

The speakers stressed the importance of studying the shared historical and cultural heritage of the Altay communities in greater depth and expanding the exchange of academic experience.

The symposium also features discussions on various aspects of the history, culture and civilizational heritage of the Altay communities, which played an important role in the historical and cultural development of Eurasia.

Over the four-day programme, scholars and specialists from 15 countries are expected to deliver a total of 121 presentations.

Note that the First Turkological Congress, held in Baku from February 26 to March 6, 1926.

The historic congress gathered 131 delegates, including linguists, historians, ethnographers, writers, scholars, and public figures from Turkic-speaking regions of the former Soviet Union, along with invited participants from abroad.

Among its landmark achievements was support for adopting a Latin-based alphabet for Turkic languages. Participants endorsed replacing the Arabic script with a common Latin alphabet to promote literacy, improve language standardisation, and advance modern education.

The congress also played a defining role in establishing Turkic linguistics as a modern academic field by encouraging research into grammar, dialectology, etymology, and comparative language studies.

In addition, it strengthened scholarly ties among researchers from across the Turkic world, fostering lasting academic cooperation and cultural exchange.

The discussions held during the congress also helped advance the study of Turkic history, culture, folklore, and ethnography, providing an important foundation for future research into the shared heritage of Turkic peoples.

Swedish museums recorded a notable increase in attendance during the summer of 2026. Between June and August, museums across the country welcomed a total of 7.4 million visitors – 7.9% more than during the same period in 2025.

The figures come from a new report by Sveriges Museer (Swedish Museums), based on data collected from 140 museum organizations across the country.

The Vasa Museum in Stockholm was the most visited museum, attracting around 650,000 people over the summer. It was followed by the Skansen open-air museum, which welcomed approximately 600,000 visitors.

Other museums among the most popular destinations included the Nordic Museum, the Gotland Museum, and Malmö Museum.

According to the report, the increase was driven by several factors, including more active marketing campaigns, expanded cultural programs, and longer opening hours. Museums also introduced new exhibitions and activities aimed at attracting both tourists and local visitors.

Free admission appears to have made a particularly strong difference. Among the 40 museums that offered free entry, the total number of visitors increased by 10%.

Interestingly, the figures suggest that museums are becoming more than traditional exhibition spaces. By combining free access, events, longer opening hours and engaging programs, museums are increasingly positioning themselves as places for entertainment, education and social experiences – helping attract a wider and younger audience.

The strong summer numbers highlight the continued popularity of cultural tourism in Sweden and the important role museums play in the country’s tourism sector.

Schoolchildren are exploring one of the most significant periods in the history of world culture – the Renaissance – as part of the “Art History for Children” project at the Azerbaijan National Art Museum.

Participants in the programme have the opportunity to discover the remarkable world of art from a period when Europe experienced a major flourishing of science, culture and creativity. It was during this era that outstanding works of painting, sculpture and architecture were created, many of which continue to impress audiences with their beauty, harmony and artistic excellence. This was reported by the museum’s press service.

The programme introduces children to the art of the Renaissance, its main ideas and its new approach to the human being and nature. Through an engaging and interactive journey, participants learn about the principles of harmony, as well as the distinctive features of Renaissance architecture, sculpture and painting. They also learn about the outstanding artists of an era marked by great discoveries and artistic achievements.

The names of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Raphael and many other representatives of this remarkable period have become symbols of artistic excellence. Learning about their work helps children better understand the distinctive features of Renaissance art and the importance of the period in the history of world culture.

Visual presentations, lectures and guided tours help participants explore an era when the human being took a central place in art and culture. They also provide a deeper understanding of works that reflect a new perception of the individual, nature and the surrounding world.

By examining such masterpieces as Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” and Michelangelo’s monumental frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, children learn about their composition and artistic language, as well as the stories behind their creation.

The thematic, interactive and educational sessions allow schoolchildren not only to reinforce what they have learned but also to put their knowledge into practice. After learning about classical artistic techniques and methods of depicting the human figure, participants create their own drawings and small artworks inspired by the Renaissance style.

Israel has appointed Joel Lion as its new charge d’affaires in Trkiye, while its embassy in Ankara remains largely inactive due to security concerns, an Israeli official told Middle East Eye.

Lion, who previously served as Israel’s resident ambassador to Moldova and non-resident ambassador to Armenia, was appointed following the retirement of Ambassador Irit Lillian earlier this year.

He was in Ankara on Wednesday to present his credentials to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

The Israeli official said the embassy’s limited operations were related to security considerations rather than political disagreements, noting that local staff continued to work in Trkiye.

‘Both sides agree that the embassy should stay closed over the security issues,’ the official said.

Lion’s visit was the first by a senior Israeli official to Trkiye since Israel withdrew diplomatic staff from Ankara and Istanbul in late 2023.

Relations between Israel and Trkiye have deteriorated significantly since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and the subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza. Trkiye has strongly criticized Israel’s military operations, later describing them as genocide, and imposed trade restrictions on Israel in 2024.

A meeting bringing together senior officials from the ports of Aktau, Kuryk, Turkmenbashi, Poti and Batumi was held as part of the CICA Port Leaders Conference, organized by the Port of Baku, operated by Azerbaijan Railways CJSC (ADY).

According to ADY, the meeting focused on strengthening cooperation to make transport and logistics links between the Caspian and Black Sea regions more efficient, reliable and competitive.

During the discussions, participants reviewed the growing strategic importance of the Middle Corridor, ways to enhance coordination among regional ports, the organization of faster and more predictable cargo flows, as well as opportunities for joint cooperation.

Preliminary figures for the first eight months of 2026 show that cargo turnover between the Port of Baku and Turkmenistan’s ports increased by 34.6% compared with the same period last year. Cargo turnover with Kazakhstan’s ports also rose by 6%.

The meeting also featured an exchange of views on jointly addressing challenges faced by ports and developing regional cooperation on a more institutionalized and sustainable basis.