Category: Azer News

European Union Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday that member states “agreed on the terms for releasing pound 6.6 billion from the European Peace Facility for Ukraine.”

According to Kallas, pound 900 million will go toward the EU’s military training mission for Ukraine, while pound 1 billion will fund new joint purchases of military equipment.

The remaining pound 4.7 billion “will reimburse Member States, with some already saying they will channel their share to Ukraine.”

“Moscow’s hybrid attacks try to intimidate Europe into scaling back its support for Ukraine. Europe is doing the opposite,” Kallas said. She also stated that this is “good news for Ukraine and bad news for Russia.”

On September 25, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Prime Minister of Tajikistan Kokhir Rasulzoda.

Stating that Azerbaijan and Tajikistan are friendly and brotherly countries, President Ilham Aliyev highlighted the existing opportunities for further developing bilateral cooperation. He stressed the importance of his visits to Tajikistan and those of the President of Tajikistan to Azerbaijan, as well as other mutual visits at various levels, in expanding bilateral relations.

President Ilham Aliyev noted that Kokhir Rasulzoda’s visit to Azerbaijan creates an opportunity to discuss issues on the bilateral agenda, including transport and logistics, economic cooperation, and increasing trade turnover.

Expressing gratitude for the reception and hospitality extended to him, Kokhir Rasulzoda conveyed the greetings and best wishes of President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon to the head of state.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the greetings and asked the Prime Minister to convey his regards to the Tajik head of state as well. The head of state fondly recalled his meetings and conversations with Emomali Rahmon in Azerbaijan and Tajikistan, as well as on the sidelines of international events.

Emphasizing that Tajikistan highly values its relations of friendship and strategic partnership with Azerbaijan, Kokhir Rasulzoda said that, thanks to the strong political will and trust-based dialogue of the presidents of the two countries, bilateral cooperation has entered a new stage of development. In this regard, the Prime Minister recalled the ‘Declaration on Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Tajikistan,’ signed by the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Tajikistan in Baku in 2024.

Kokhir Rasulzoda commended President Ilham Aliyev’s personal contribution to the expansion of bilateral relations.

Touching upon the importance of Azerbaijan’s ‘ASAN Khidmet’ model, the Prime Minister expressed interest in its implementation in Tajikistan.

During the conversation, the parties addressed the transit of Tajik goods through the territory of Azerbaijan via the Middle Corridor to international markets, as well as cooperation in the fields of metallurgy, energy, and agriculture.

Underlining the historical ties between the peoples of the two countries, the sides noted that they share common roots. In this context, the importance of regularly organizing mutual cultural, humanitarian, and sports events was highlighted.

The Prime Minister of Tajikistan expressed gratitude for the quotas allocated by Azerbaijan for Tajik students.

Emphasizing that Azerbaijan and Tajikistan have great tourism potential, the sides touched upon the significance of launching direct flights between Baku and Dushanbe, noting with satisfaction the growth in tourism and passenger transportation. The importance of holding various events to showcase the tourism opportunities of the two countries was also underscored.

During the meeting, the sides discussed issues of mutual interest and exchanged views on the prospects for bilateral relations.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has posted an AI-generated video depicting the Jordanian military and King Abdullah II alongside a song asserting that both banks of the Jordan River belong to Israel.

The video, posted on September 24, comes amid tensions within Israel’s political right following King Abdullah’s address to the United Nations General Assembly and a proposal by opposition politician Avigdor Liberman for Jordan to assume administrative and security responsibility over parts of the occupied West Bank.

The AI-generated video features footage presented as showing the Jordanian Armed Forces and King Abdullah II, accompanied by ‘Shtei Gadot La’Yarden’ (‘Two Banks Has the Jordan River’), a Revisionist Zionist song associated with Ze’ev Jabotinsky.

The song declares that both the western and eastern banks of the Jordan River belong to Israel, including the line: ‘This one is ours, and that one too.’

The video also attacks Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Liberman, describing him as ‘dangerous to Israel,’ before displaying an image of Ben-Gvir alongside the slogan ‘He who believes is not afraid.’

The post followed controversy over comments by Liberman in an interview with the religious-nationalist outlet Besheva, in which he proposed reaching an understanding with Jordan under which Amman would assume administrative and security responsibility for Areas A and B of the West Bank as part of an ‘Israeli-Jordanian confederation.’

Liberman later said that he had mistakenly referred to Areas B and C in the interview and clarified that he was proposing Jordanian administrative and security responsibility for Areas A and B, while Israel would maintain territorial continuity and security control over Area C. He said the proposal was intended to prevent a governance vacuum that could otherwise be filled by Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other armed groups.

The proposal drew criticism from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other members of the governing coalition. Netanyahu rejected the idea of transferring security responsibility in the West Bank to Jordan, while Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also opposed the proposal.

Ben-Gvir likewise mocked Liberman’s proposal, arguing that areas Israel refers to as ‘Judea and Samaria’ are ‘parts of our homeland’ rather than territory that should be transferred to Jordanian control.

The controversy comes against the backdrop of King Abdullah’s address to the 81st UN General Assembly on September 22, in which the Jordanian monarch sharply criticized Israeli policies in Gaza and the West Bank.

Abdullah accused the Israeli government of accelerating settlement expansion and land seizures in the West Bank and described what he characterized as the ‘de-facto annexation’ of Palestinian territory. He also warned that the situation represented a fundamental shift aimed at making the establishment of a viable Palestinian state impossible.

The Jordanian king also said Israel’s actions in southern Syria posed a direct threat to Jordan’s national security, while stressing that Amman would protect its security, water resources and national interests.

The American delegation held indirect talks with the Iranian team for the first time in three months, during which they rejected Tehran’s demands for opening the Strait of Hormuz, claiming Iran does not control the waterway and therefore does not have the authority to make demands, Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Thursday.

According to the report, United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and informal advisor Jared Kushner were in one room during the talks, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was in another. The Qatari mediators, led by the country’s diplomat Ali al-Thawadi, were also present during the negotiations, moving between the rooms and relaying messages between the two parties.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously called the talks “significant,” even though there was no “major breakthrough.”

Baku is ready to host another Formula 1 weekend as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix gets underway today, marking the 10th Formula 1 race weekend to be held in the capital.

The action begins on Thursday, September 24, with Formula 2 Practice at 10:00 local time, followed by the first Formula 1 practice session at 12:30. Formula 2 qualifying sessions will then take place before Formula 1 returns to the track for second practice at 16:00.

The programme continues on Friday with the Formula 2 Sprint Race, Formula 1’s third practice session and Formula 2 Feature Race 1. Formula 1 qualifying will take place at 16:00, setting the grid for Saturday’s main event.

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be held on Saturday, September 26, with the 51-lap race scheduled to start at 15:00 local time. The unusual Saturday race is part of an adjusted weekend schedule, with the event moved forward because September 27 is Azerbaijan’s Remembrance Day.

Twenty drivers representing 10 Formula 1 teams will compete on the Baku City Circuit, a 6.003-kilometre street track featuring 20 corners. The circuit is known for its contrasting sections, combining long, fast straights with the tight and technical roads around Baku’s Old City.

One of the defining sections comes between the historic walls of Icherisheher. The track narrows to just 7.6 metres around the Turns 8 and 9 complex, leaving drivers little room for error. At the other end of the lap, the 2.2-kilometre flat-out section along the seafront allows cars to reach high speeds and creates opportunities for overtaking.

The circuit also offers one of the most distinctive backdrops on the Formula 1 calendar. During the race weekend, drivers and spectators can see Icherisheher, the Caspian Sea waterfront and Baku’s modern architecture from different parts of the track.

The start and finish line are located on Azadliq Square, which also houses the paddock, team garages and pit lane.

A new grandstand has also been added to the Baku City Circuit for this year’s race. The City Grandstand, located opposite the Azerbaijan State Academic Musical Theatre, has space for 678 spectators, taking the circuit’s total grandstand capacity above 21,000.

This year’s event marks a decade since Formula 1 first arrived in Baku. The inaugural race in 2016 was held as the European Grand Prix, with Nico Rosberg taking victory. From 2017, the event became the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, producing a different winner in several of its early editions, including Daniel Ricciardo, Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez. Max Verstappen has also won twice in Baku, while Oscar Piastri took victory in 2024.

The 2025 race was won by Verstappen, who took pole position, led every lap and set the fastest lap. George Russell finished second for Mercedes, while Carlos Sainz claimed third for Williams.

The only year without an Azerbaijan Grand Prix was 2020, when the race was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baku is hosting Formula 1 for the 10th time, with this year’s race again combining high speeds, tight street sections and the city’s historic and modern landmarks.

A classic car exhibition is being held at the Seaside National Park as part of the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which is being hosted by Baku for the 10th time.

The exhibition is organized by the Azerbaijan Automobile Federation (AAF).

Visitors can view the retro cars at the Formula 1 fan zone during the race weekend.

Complementing the speed and excitement of Formula 1, the exhibition takes visitors on a journey through different eras of automotive history.

The Folk Instruments Orchestra of the Fikrat Amirov Ganja State Philharmonic has thrilled the audience at the International Mugham Centre. The concert was held as part of the 18th Uzeyir Hajibayli International Music Festival.

The programme was dedicated to the musical heritage of Uzeyir Hajibayli and featured works from different periods of his career.

The concert presented Hajibayli’s compositions through the sound of traditional Azerbaijani folk instruments, offering a distinctive interpretation of his works.

The programme included pieces representing different genres and stages of the composer’s creative career, demonstrating the breadth of his contribution to Azerbaijan’s professional music.

The performances were well received by the audience, with the orchestra earning warm applause throughout the concert.

The event was part of the festival’s programme dedicated to preserving and promoting Hajibayli’s musical legacy and introducing his works to contemporary audiences.

The 18th Uzeyir Hajibayli International Music Festival, organised by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture, is running until September 30.

The annual music festival brings together renowned performers and ensembles from several countries.

Alongside Baku, concerts, performances, exhibitions, presentations and other cultural events are being held in Agjabadi, Ganja, Shusha, Lachin, Aghdam and Lankaran.

Various events are also taking place in Uzbekistan, Germany and Turkiye as part of the festival.

This year’s festival also features the 1st Congress of Composers of the Turkic World.

The Mingachevir Regatta 2026 international rowing and canoeing tournament will be held from September 29 to October 1.

The event is jointly organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Azerbaijan Water Sports Federation (AWSF).

The traditional regatta will start for the second time in Fuzuli, at the Kondalan Reservoir.

The official opening ceremony and 200-metre kayak and canoe races will take place in Fuzuli on September 29. Special shows and entertaining quizzes will also be organized for Fuzuli residents, particularly children and teenagers. Participants will also have an opportunity to try rowing in recreational kayaks.

The regatta will continue over the following two days at the Kur Olympic Training and Sports Center in Mingachevir. Competitions in all disciplines will be held there, with the winners determined at the end of the event.

More than 100 athletes from 12 countries – Azerbaijan, Czechia, Georgia, Hungary, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkiye, Ukraine and Uzbekistan – will compete at the Mingachevir Regatta.

Since 2022, the Azerbaijan Water Sports Federation has regularly organized international rowing and canoeing competitions, including the President’s Cup and Mingachevir Regatta, at the Sugovushan and Kondalanchay reservoirs.

This year, an international competition was held for the first time at the Sarsang Reservoir on the initiative of the President of Azerbaijan and President of the National Olympic Committee Ilham Aliyev. The first day of the President’s Cup 2026 regatta, dedicated to the 103rd anniversary of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, was held at Sarsang Reservoir.

Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Finance is increasingly highlighting the country’s evolving economic structure as part of a farsighted strategy to broaden the foundations of growth beyond hydrocarbons. The document, ‘Statement on Preliminary Indicators for the 2027 State and Consolidated Budgets’, provides a clear illustration of this direction. Based on a conservative oil price assumption of $65 per barrel, the report projects that the non-oil economy will expand at an average annual rate of 4.4% through 2030, while growth in the oil and gas sector is expected to remain more modest, at around 2.3%. As a result, the share of non-oil GDP, projected at 77.4% in 2027, is expected to rise to 82% by 2030.

Rather than signalling a retreat from the country’s established energy strengths, the projections point to Azerbaijan’s broader objective of developing new sources of economic growth alongside its hydrocarbons sector. The figures underline a gradual diversification process in which manufacturing, mining, technology, services and other non-oil activities are expected to play an increasingly important role in the country’s economic development.

Thus, during the first eight months of 2026, the energy sector produced 26.2 billion manats out of 87.7 billion manats of Azerbaijan’s GDP, or nearly 30%, while also continuing to make up some 70.5% of the country’s exports worth of $21.8 billion. As far as the language employed goes, the strategy pursued is not one where hydrocarbons should become smaller in proportion, but rather all other sectors should grow more rapidly to increase their presence compared to the hydrocarbon sector.

Most recently, however, the most tangible evidence of this strategy was delivered on September 22, when President Ilham Aliyev presided over a meeting adopting the “State Program for the Development of the Mining (Metal Ores) and Metallurgical Industry for 2027-2030”. The objective is clear and, for Azerbaijan’s state-level planning, rather unusually quantified, which the country aims to double its annual potential for exporting products in these industries to reach roughly $2 billion per year according to the world’s prices of 2025, with a total export revenue from the export of copper, gold and silver increasing from 600 million manats in 2025 to 1.6 billion manats in 2030, nearly tripling its present level. Among new facilities scheduled for construction under this program, there is a processing plant in the Dashkesan iron-ore deposit, a pellet plant, a hot-briquetted iron plant, a new rolling mill for Baku Steel Company, an electrolysis plant for Azeraluminium in Ganja, and a flotation plant in the Soyudlu gold deposit, a complete industrial chain from extraction to manufacturing.

Already in the first six months of 2026, gold, copper and aluminum exports combined have brought in $397m in revenue; raw copper concentrate exports increased elevenfold year on year, from $12.3m to $135.9m – an increase that, according to experts, is mainly due to higher extraction capacities at the polymetallic deposits that have become more lucrative and less to the increase in copper price of 8-12%. At the same time, Dashkesan D?mir Filiz, a subsidiary of the state-owned company for the production of gold AzerGold, is working on launching the first large-scale domestic supply of iron concentrate in the country – after the revaluation of resources, which resulted in the addition of 67.4m tonnes to the deposit base at the Dashkesan complex, amounting to 185m tonnes according to a 21-year extraction program prepared jointly with British consultancy Micon International. Additionally, gold, copper and molybdenum deposits found in Kalbajar, Aghdara and Zangilan (regions which Azerbaijan was able to regain control of only in 2020) are being accounted for.

Yet, nothing solves the more persistent problem which the budget paper recognizes: the money has yet to match the ambition. The total figure of FDI investment in Azerbaijan amounted to $6.6bn in 2025, dropping 6.4% from 2024 when the figure stood at $7.3bn, with oil and gas still taking up 78.1% of all foreign investment that year. However, there was some real improvement in the first half of 2026, with $3.7bn in inflows, 13.8% higher than in 2025, although even this recovery has once again been largely driven by oil and gas, with $2.8bn invested in them versus $867m in the rest of the economy. Growth in capital investment of 2.2-2.4% per year until 2030, admits the ministry itself, will be insufficient to finance the technological breakthrough needed.

The World Bank and other institutions point to familiar structural culprits: capital concentrated in hydrocarbons limits the spillover of skills and technology elsewhere, corporate governance transparency lags international norms, domestic competition remains thin, and Azerbaijan’s underdeveloped securities market gives foreign portfolio investors few easy ways to enter or exit non-oil positions. Intellectual-property protection, increasingly relevant as Baku courts software and AI investment, remains a work in progress by the government’s own admission.

What is shifting, modestly but visibly, is the geography of who is willing to bet on the non-oil bridge anyway. The US’ FDI into Azerbaijan grew by 47%, reaching $131.6 million, after the Strategic Partnership Charter signed in February concerning Industry 4.0, transportation, and digital infrastructure. The investments of Holland grew by over 300%, reaching $60.1 million during the same period. Both figures do not match the scale of hydrocarbon capital; however, they are the investments connected with technology – artificial intelligence, data centers, telecommunications – which cannot be created through raw extraction alone. The strategy of Azerbaijan now includes creating such relationships with Trkiye, China, Israel, and some of the Gulf states, hoping that the sum of such technological partnerships will eventually amount to the structural change that has been included in the forecast by its own Ministry of Economy. As far as it goes, almost every nation has some-what of a ‘2030 ambition,’ and for Baku, whether 2030 will see 82% non-oil GDP or something else will depend less on its five-year plans and more on the presence of capital, hopefully.

The Sarajevo World Judo Championships Kata 2026 will take place in Bosnia and Herzegovina, on September 26-27.

Azerbaijan will be represented by four judoka at the championships. The country’s competitors qualified after winning the national championships among cadets and juniors.

In the cadet category, Sadiq Abdullayev will compete as tori, with Rajab Akbarov as uke in the Nage-no-kata programme. Among the juniors, Famil Asadov will take the role of tori, while Yusif Ahmadov will compete as uke.

The championships will feature 462 judoka from 35 countries across five continents.

Note that the Azerbaijani judokas have established a strong presence in international competition, regularly challenging for medals at the Olympic Games, World and European Championships, and other major events.

Their results over the years have strengthened Azerbaijan’s position in world judo, with the country’s athletes earning recognition for their technical skills, discipline, determination and competitive character.

The Azerbaijan Judo Federation has played an important role in the growth of the sport. Founded in 1972, the federation is responsible for developing and promoting judo in the country and representing Azerbaijani judokas at international level.

The federation is currently led by Rashad Nabiyev, who also serves as Azerbaijan’s Minister of Digital Development and Transportation.

Azerbaijan’s rise as a competitive judo nation gained momentum in the late 1990s. Mehman Azizov won silver at the 1998 World Championships, while Rasul Salimov, the 1998 World Youth Games champion in Moscow, added a European bronze medal in Slovakia in 1999. In 2000, Elchin Ismayilov became European champion in Wroclaw.

A significant milestone followed at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, where Elnur Mammadli captured the men’s 73kg gold medal.

A new generation has continued that success in recent years. Among the leading names are Hidayat Heydarov, Zelym Kotsoiev, Zelim Tckaev, Balabay Aghayev, Ushangi Kokauri, Gultaj Mammadaliyeva, Leyla Aliyeva, Fidan Alizade and Aisha Gurbanli, who have added further achievements to Azerbaijan’s international judo record.