Category: Azer News

On September 25, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Connor Teskey, Chief Executive Officer of Brookfield Asset Management, one of the world’s leading investment companies.

During the conversation, they fondly recalled their meeting in Davos this January. The importance of the protocol of intent on long-term strategic cooperation signed between the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) and Brookfield Asset Management was emphasized.

The meeting focused on expanding investment cooperation between Azerbaijan and the company, particularly on potential projects in energy transition, renewable energy, energy storage systems, and digital infrastructure. The significance of Azerbaijan’s energy potential in strengthening the country’s position as a regional energy hub was also emphasized.

With assets under management exceeding $1 trillion, Brookfield is one of the world’s major owners and operators of energy, telecommunications, digital infrastructure, transport, and other real assets on a global scale. The company’s infrastructure platform encompasses more than 308,000 telecommunications assets, 77,000 kilometers of fiber-optic networks, 150 data centers, a 36,300-kilometer railway network, and 3,200 kilometers of toll roads. Its utility infrastructure businesses serve more than 10 million consumers worldwide.

Ireland’s Alexander Dunne won the first Formula 2 feature race of the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The Rodin driver finished ahead of his teammate Martinius Stenshorne, who took second place. Dino Beganovic of DAMS Lucas Oil completed the podium in third.

The 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix is the 15th round of the Formula 1 season and marks the 10th Formula 1 race weekend in Baku. The event is being held at the Baku City Circuit from September 24 to 26, with the Formula 1 Grand Prix scheduled for September 26.

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will conclude on September 26.

A delegation led by Ali Fidan, Director General of Security at Trkiye’s Ministry of Interior, has arrived in Azerbaijan to participate in the ninth working meeting on police cooperation between the interior ministries of Azerbaijan and Trkiye, to be held in Baku.

According to Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ali Fidan and members of the delegation visited the Alley of Honor, where they paid tribute to the memory of National Leader Heydar Aliyev. They also commemorated prominent ophthalmologist and academician Zarifa Aliyeva and laid flowers at her grave.

Azerbaijan’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Colonel-General Vilayat Eyvazov, met with Ali Fidan and the delegation he heads.

Vilayat Eyvazov noted with satisfaction that relations between the interior ministries of Azerbaijan and Trkiye are at a high level. He emphasized the importance of further expanding cooperation between the law enforcement agencies of the two brotherly countries and developing joint activities.

The minister expressed confidence that working meetings held within the framework of police cooperation would make an important contribution to the exchange of experience and improving the effectiveness of practical activities.

Ali Fidan expressed gratitude for the reception and hospitality. He highly valued the effectiveness of cooperation between the relevant institutions of the two countries and emphasized the importance of joint efforts to combat global threats, including various forms of crime.

Birol Akgun, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Trkiye to Azerbaijan, also attended the meeting.

The excitement surrounding the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix reached beyond the track as Formula 1 stars met fans at a two-day Fan Forum on Baku Boulevard.

Drivers from all 11 teams took to a special stage set up along the waterfront, giving thousands of fans the chance to see their favourite racers up close. Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Kimi Antonelli, George Russell, Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Fernando Alonso, Valtteri Bottas and other drivers appeared at the forum.

The event offered fans an opportunity to hear the drivers’ thoughts and impressions ahead of the race and interact with them in a relaxed setting.

Strong interest from both local and international fans added to the atmosphere of Azerbaijan Grand Prix week, with the direct meetings between drivers and spectators becoming one of the highlights of the event.

The Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will take place on September 26.

Israel’s Central Elections Committee has voted to disqualify the country’s two main Arab political lists from next month’s Knesset election, along with two individual candidates, in a move that the parties have condemned as politically motivated.

The committee voted on September 23 to bar the United Arab List, or Ra’am, led by Mansour Abbas, and the Joint List, an alliance comprising the Arab-led Hadash, Ta’al and Balad parties, from participating in the October 27 election. It also voted separately to disqualify Hadash lawmaker Ofer Cassif and Balad leader Sami Abu Shehadeh.

The decisions are not yet final. Disqualifications involving individual candidates require approval by Israel’s Supreme Court, while the political lists can appeal their exclusion. Adalah, the legal center representing the parties and candidates, said it would challenge the decisions before the court, which is expected to consider the cases next week.

Ra’am’s disqualification was approved by an 18-5 vote, with one abstention, while the Joint List was also barred by an 18-5 vote. The committee voted 19-5, with two abstentions, to disqualify Cassif, while Abu Shehadeh was disqualified by a 31-4 vote.

The petitions seeking to bar the parties invoke Section 7A of Israel’s Basic Law: The Knesset. The provision allows a party or candidate to be excluded from an election for denying Israel’s existence as a ‘Jewish and democratic state,’ inciting racism, or supporting armed struggle against Israel by an enemy state or an organization designated as terrorist.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party sought to disqualify the Joint List and Cassif and was among the groups that filed a petition against Ra’am. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party also sought to bar Abu Shehadeh. Other petitions against Ra’am were filed by Otzma Yehudit and the Choosing Life Forum of bereaved families and victims of terrorism.

Israel’s Attorney General’s Office opposed the disqualification of Ra’am and the Joint List, arguing that the evidence presented did not meet the stringent legal threshold required to bar the lists. According to the Jerusalem Post, the Attorney General’s Office said the evidence against both lists was insufficient, although the committee voted to disqualify them.

Adalah has similarly disputed the allegations. Regarding Ra’am, it said the petitions presented no evidence that the party supports armed struggle by a terrorist organization or enemy state. In the case of the Joint List, the organization argued that the petitions relied heavily on outdated material, including bills proposed in previous Knessets and positions that had previously been examined.

Ra’am described its exclusion as ‘political and unacceptable,’ saying the decision was intended to prevent the party from influencing the balance of power and contributing to a change of government.

The Joint List also condemned the decision, accusing Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir of seeking to discourage Arab citizens from voting because, in the party’s view, they fear the ability of Arab voters to influence the government’s future.

Joint List leader Yousef Jabareen questioned how the committee could bar parties representing more than 1.25 million voters.

Abu Shehadeh said his disqualification was an attempt to silence criticism of government policy. He said the decision would be challenged both in court and through public protest.

Rejecting allegations that he supports violence, Abu Shehadeh told The Times of Israel: ‘I have never called for violence or terrorism. I oppose armed struggle.’

The cases involving Cassif and Abu Shehadeh are subject to Supreme Court review, while Ra’am and the Joint List are expected to appeal their disqualifications. The court’s consideration will determine whether the decisions take effect ahead of the October 27 election.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Egypt, India and Trkiye have separately proposed ways to restore safe navigation in the Black Sea and lift the blockade affecting maritime trade.

Zelenskyy made the remarks during a press briefing in New York on September 25, saying he had held separate discussions with the leaders of Egypt, India and Trkiye, while Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry had conducted parallel talks with their counterparts.

According to Zelenskyy, the proposals reflect a shared interest in restoring Black Sea shipping, particularly the movement of agricultural products and other goods.

He said the countries had proposed a reciprocal ceasefire in the Black Sea that would allow commercial shipping to resume without disruption. Some of the countries had gone further by submitting their proposals in writing, which Kyiv had reviewed and considered fair.

Ukraine has previously said it is ready to support safe navigation and food security in the Black Sea if Russia takes reciprocal steps toward de-escalation. On September 23, Zelenskyy said Egypt, India and Trkiye had already submitted written options to Ukraine and that Kyiv was awaiting Moscow’s response.

Zelenskyy said the countries involved were expected to communicate with the Russian side following their discussions with Ukraine, either afterward or in parallel.

However, he stressed that Kyiv had not received confirmation that such contacts with Moscow had actually taken place.

‘We have not received a response yet,’ Zelenskyy told journalists.

The proposals form part of broader international efforts to restore Black Sea shipping, which has been severely disrupted during Russia’s war against Ukraine. Ukraine has sought international support for the restoration of maritime trade and the reopening of a corridor for agricultural exports. Trkiye has separately discussed Black Sea security and the restoration of food exports with Ukraine.

The latest diplomatic efforts come alongside a separate US initiative aimed at de-escalating the Russia-Ukraine war.

According to Zelenskyy, the Trump administration has proposed three immediate steps: a mutual halt to attacks on energy infrastructure, the reopening of the Black Sea grain corridor, and a trilateral meeting involving the United States, Ukraine and Russia, potentially in Abu Dhabi.

Zelenskyy said Kyiv was prepared to halt strikes on Russian energy infrastructure if Moscow agreed to do the same.

He also said the upcoming G20 summit in Miami could potentially serve as a venue for leader-level discussions involving the United States, Ukraine and Russia.

The US proposal and the separate maritime initiatives involving Egypt, India and Trkiye come as Kyiv seeks to revive negotiations and establish limited ceasefires covering energy infrastructure and Black Sea shipping, while the response from Moscow remains pending.

On September 25, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev made a phone call to Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze.

President Ilham Aliyev congratulated Irakli Kobakhidze on his birthday, wishing him good health and success in his activities, as well as prosperity to the Georgian people.

The Prime Minister of Georgia expressed his gratitude to the head of state for the attention.

During the phone conversation, the sides exchanged views on the development of the existing strategic partnership and good-neighborly relations between the two countries.

Global DJ and producer Calvin Harris performed in Baku as part of the entertainment programme accompanying the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The concert, held at Baku Crystal Hall, drew thousands of Formula 1 fans and electronic music enthusiasts. Harris’ performance featured a selection of his biggest hits, complemented by an elaborate light show and special effects.

The set included crowd favourites such as “Feel So Close” and “Summer”, prompting fans to sing along throughout the evening. Harris also engaged with the Baku audience several times during the performance.

Baku Crystal Hall was lit up in the blue, red and green colours of the Azerbaijani flag at various moments of the show, adding a local touch to the spectacular production.

Harris, one of the most prominent figures in electronic music, has achieved international success with hits including “We Found Love”, “Summer” and “One Kiss”. The Scottish artist is also a Grammy Award winner and has performed at major music festivals around the world.

His Baku appearance was among the major entertainment events held during Azerbaijan Grand Prix week.

In the first seven months of 2026, Germany imported around 175,000 vehicles from China, a 120% increase compared with the same period last year. Imports from the Czech Republic reached 173,000 units, while Spain supplied 157,000 vehicles.

The sharp increase in Chinese car deliveries was driven primarily by electric and hybrid vehicles. Imports of electric cars rose by 66%, while deliveries of hybrids increased by 36%. At the same time, imports of Chinese vehicles with internal combustion engines fell by 9%.

New-energy vehicles now account for more than 56% of Germany’s total car imports from China, highlighting the growing role of electrified vehicles in the European market.

Overall, Germany imported around 1.3 million cars during the first seven months of the year, 16% more than a year earlier. Meanwhile, German car exports fell by 4% to approximately 2 million vehicles. In value terms, car imports increased by more than 12%, reaching almost pound 35 billion.

The shift is particularly notable because Germany is home to some of the world’s largest automakers. The growing presence of Chinese electric and hybrid models is increasing competition in the European market, while also accelerating the transformation of Germany’s traditionally strong automotive sector.

The development of the Middle Corridor is creating new opportunities for companies seeking to expand their supply chains and establish manufacturing facilities closer to regional markets, Azerbaijani Deputy Economy Minister Samad Bashirli said.

Speaking at the panel discussion titled ‘Industrial Platforms and Free Economic Zones: Azerbaijan as a Regional Manufacturing Hub’ during the second Azerbaijan International Investment Forum in Baku on Friday, Bashirli said the Middle Corridor was strengthening Azerbaijan’s potential as a regional production center.

‘Today, the global transformation in clean energy, electric mobility, information technology and artificial intelligence is generating new demand for advanced manufacturing and critical raw materials,’ he said.

Bashirli noted that 10 industrial parks are currently operating in different regions of Azerbaijan, covering a broad range of sectors, including chemicals, petrochemicals, mechanical engineering, textiles, pharmaceuticals, construction materials and food processing.

A total of 139 companies have been registered in these industrial parks, more than 100 of which are currently operational. The value of products manufactured in the industrial parks has reached $3.7 billion, with approximately $1 billion worth of products exported, he said.

An important component of this ecosystem is the Alat Free Economic Zone, Bashirli added.

Designed particularly to attract export-oriented, high-tech and high-value-added manufacturing, the zone operates under a special legal and regulatory framework. This includes a ‘one-stop shop’ approach aimed at simplifying procedures for investors, he said.

The second Azerbaijan International Investment Forum is currently being held in Baku.

The two-day forum is organized by the Ministry of Economy and its subordinate Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Agency (AZPROMO), with the European House-Ambrosetti serving as its strategic partner.

The forum’s plenary and panel sessions will address a range of strategic issues, including the Middle Corridor, energy and the green transition, artificial intelligence and digital transformation, infrastructure, industry and free economic zones, critical raw materials, agribusiness, financial cooperation, small and medium-sized business development, tourism, real estate and investment in human capital.