Category: Azer News

On October 2, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Giorgia Meloni, President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic, on the sidelines of the 7th European Political Community Summit in Copenhagen, Azernews reports.

The sides noted the development of relations between Azerbaijan and Italy within the framework of a comprehensive strategic partnership. In this regard, they highlighted the recent successful official visit of the Italian President to Azerbaijan, which included the inauguration of the first campus of the Italy-Azerbaijan University in Baku.

The meeting also addressed the successful energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and Italy, underlining Azerbaijan’s contribution to Italy’s energy security. The sides hailed the expansion of cooperation in investments, culture, humanitarian affairs, and other areas.

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Azernews reports.

“Dear Ilham Heydar oglu,

Dear brother,

Your Excellency, I am deeply pleased to extend my sincere and heartfelt congratulations to you and the brotherly people of Azerbaijan on the auspicious 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.

I would like to particularly note that the past period has been rich with memorable events in our cooperation, with relations developing consistently across all fields. A robust legal framework and effective institutional mechanisms, along with multilateral formats, have been established to comprehensively and sustainably strengthen our comprehensive long-term relations.

Undoubtedly, the fraternal ties and strong bonds of friendship that unite Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, coupled with our regular and productive high-level dialogues, serve the common progress of our brotherly peoples.

In particular, the complete elevation of our interstate relations to a new historic stage of alliance in recent years can be regarded as a brilliant practical expression of our firm political will and joint consistent efforts.

Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, I am confident that our strategic partnership, grounded in principles of mutual trust and respect, will continue to develop rapidly across all priority areas, including politics, economy, trade, transport, logistics, energy, industry, agriculture, tourism, and culture.

Undoubtedly, our upcoming series of important meetings this year-both in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan-will provide favorable opportunities not only to discuss the prospects of our bilateral relations but also for an in-depth exchange of views on the most pressing issues of regional partnership.

On this landmark occasion in the chronicle of our multifaceted relations, I once again congratulate Your Excellency, and wish you robust health, family happiness, great success in your highly responsible state activities, and peace, security, prosperity, and sustainable progress for the brotherly people of Azerbaijan,” the letter reads.

Officials involved in a large-scale smuggling operation of medicines and tobacco products between Iran and Azerbaijan have been identified, according to a joint statement by the Prosecutor General’s Office and the State Customs Committee, Azernews reports.

The investigation revealed that Vusal Huseynov, an inspector of the Bilasuvar Customs Department, and Asif Hajimuradov, a cynologist at the ‘Azerterminalcomplex’ Association, colluded with Azerbaijani citizen Etibar Hatamli and Iranian citizen Jafar Rezeyan. Using their official positions, the group facilitated the illegal transfer of medicines not registered with the state – including those containing potent and psychotropic substances – as well as tobacco products without excise stamps. The total value of the smuggled goods amounted to 400,000 manats (about $235,000).

According to the authorities, the smuggled items were brought from Iran and handed over to relevant individuals inside Azerbaijan.

Based on the collected evidence, Huseynov, Hajimuradov, Hatamli and Rezeyan were charged under multiple articles of the Criminal Code, including illegal trafficking of large quantities of medicines and psychotropic substances, smuggling, illegal import of excise goods, and abuse of official authority leading to grave consequences.

By court decision, Huseynov, Hajimuradov and Hatamli were placed under arrest, while Rezeyan received a different preventive measure not related to detention.

The Prosecutor General’s Office and the State Customs Committee stressed that investigative and operational measures are continuing to fully uncover the scope of the smuggling network.

A ceremony was held to mark the installation of the first solar panel at the Bilasuvar Solar Power Plant, a major renewable energy project with a planned capacity of 445 megawatts, Azernews reports.

The event was attended by high-ranking officials, including Head of Bilasuvar District Executive Authority Faiq Qurbanov, Director of the Azerbaijan Renewable Energy Agency (AREA) Javid Abdullayev, Deputy Chairman of ‘Azerenerji’ OJSC Rustam Gasimov, Chief Operating Officer of ‘Masdar’ Abdulaziz Alobaidli, and CEO of SOCAR Green Elmir Musayev. Each delivered opening remarks at the ceremony.

Following the speeches, VIP guests symbolically participated in the installation of the first panel and signed commemorative solar panels to mark the occasion.

Two specially designated commemorative panels were also showcased during the ceremony. These were signed by attending dignitaries and will remain on display as a symbolic representation of the project’s launch. Group photos were taken as part of the formal proceedings.

Officials from the Ministry of Energy and the Bilasuvar District Executive Authority were also present at the event.

The Bilasuvar Solar Power Plant spans a total area of 1,400 hectares. It will feature over 943,000 bifacial solar panels manufactured by China’s JA Solar, capable of generating electricity from both sides. The high-efficiency panels, each with a capacity of 625-630 watts, will be delivered and installed in stages.

The plant will be equipped with 8,131 single-axis tracking systems to optimize solar energy capture throughout the day. Once operational, panel cleaning will be performed automatically using specialized equipment.

The solar power plant is scheduled to be commissioned next year.

An international conference themed “The Role of Libraries in Preserving National and Spiritual Values” has been held as part of the 11th Baku International Book Fair, organized by Azerbaijan Culture Ministry and Azerbaijan National Library, Azernews reports. The event took place at Baku Expo Center.

The conference was opened by Professor Karim Tahirov, Director of the Azerbaijan National Library, who stated that the increasing interest in books in recent years is a matter of pride. He emphasized that libraries are not only a storage place for national and spiritual values but also play a crucial role in their reliable preservation and transmission to future generations.

The professor further noted that books and publications are key components of national and spiritual values. Therefore, it is important to increase attention to their protection and preservation. Libraries play a significant role in the implementation of this mission.

The Chairman of the Culture Committee of the Azerbaijani Parliament, People’s Artist Polad Bulbuloglu, emphasized that books have always been preserved in Azerbaijan and various countries around the world.

He also pointed out the importance of international book fairs and stressed the need to increase young people’s interest in books. He stated that the primary goal is the preservation of books and the national and spiritual values.

Speakers at the conference included Ayhan Tuglu, Director of the Turkish National Library, Dr. Afet Abbasova, Director of the Presidential Library of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Doctor of Philology, Professor, Mohamed Adil Embarsh, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Azerbaijan, Associate Professor Alamdar Jabbarli, Dean of the Faculty of Information and Documentation Management at Baku State University, and Seham Alezam, Director of the Kuwait National Library.

The speakers highlighted that libraries are sacred places that unite the memory, knowledge, and culture of a nation and preserve books. They emphasized that the preservation of national and spiritual values reflects respect for our history, present, and future. The speeches particularly highlighted the attention and care given to libraries by the National Leader Heydar Aliyev. The importance of the Baku International Book Fair was also noted, as well as the need for establishing connections between libraries.

A video dedicated to the Azerbaijan National Library was also presented during the event. The conference continued with presentations.

Deputy Director of the Department of Scientific Work and Library-Information Services of the Azerbaijan National Library Edibe Ismailova, spoke on “The Activities of the National Library of Azerbaijan in the Preservation of Cultural Heritage,” Samira El Malizi, Director of the National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco, presented “Preserving the Past, Inspiring the Future: The Commitment of the National Library of Morocco,” Ayhan Tuglu, Director of the National Library of the Republic of Turkiye, gave a speech on “The Role of Libraries in the Protection of Cultural Heritage: The National Library of the Republic of Turkiye,” Dr. Afet Abbasova, Director of the Presidential Library of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, talked about “Libraries – Bridges that Lead Our Values into the Future,” Seham Alezam, Director of the Kuwait National Library, spoke on “From Heritage to the Future: The Role of the Kuwait National Library in the Cultural Field,” Dr. Huseyn Huseynov, Director of the Central Scientific Library of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, and Doctor of Technical Sciences, discussed “The Role of Libraries in the Preservation and Development of National and Spiritual Values,” Associate Professor Mubariz Mammadli, Director of the Republic Scientific-Technical Library under the State Agency for Intellectual Property of the Republic of Azerbaijan, presented “The Protection of Azerbaijan’s Scientific and Cultural Property at the Republic Scientific-Technical Library,” and Aygn Koçak, Head of the Department of Research in Library Science and Methodical Support at the Azerbaijan National Library, presented “Precious Istanbul Publications Preserved at the Azerbaijan National Library (Rare Works from the 18th-19th Centuries).”

Note that the 11th Baku International Book Fair will run until October 7 at the Baku Expo Center.

This year’s fair, themed “Technoman: yesterday’s legend, today’s event”, creates opportunities for broad discussions on the impact of technology on human life in the scientific and cultural context of the modern era.

The fair features participation from 41 foreign organizations from 18 countries and more than 100 local publishing, printing, and book-related institutions.

Throughout the fair, a variety of events are organized, including masterclasses for children and adults, book presentations on inclusion and other relevant topics, book signings, conferences, symposiums, contests, reading and music hours, and collaboration platforms for stakeholders in the book industry.

More than 250 events in various formats are being held over the course of the fair.

Prominent writers and scholars from countries such as Turkiye, Argentina, the United Kingdom, Lithuania, Qatar, and others will also take part.

Special shuttle buses will be available for visitors from the “Elml?r Akademiyasi,” “28 May,” and “Koroglu” metro stations to the Baku Expo Center. Admission to the fair is free of charge.

The construction sector in Azerbaijan brought in more than 328 million manat in revenue during the first half of the year, according to Read Qasimov, Head of the Baku City Main Department of Architecture and Urban Planning under the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture.

Azernews reports that Qasimov made these remarks during a public discussion organized by the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (SMBDA) on the topic: ‘Current Procedures, Time, and Costs for Obtaining Construction and Operation Permits – Challenges and Optimization Opportunities.’

He emphasized that the development of cities and the construction sector remains one of Azerbaijan’s strategic priorities:

‘Innovative approaches are being implemented to make business processes more transparent and accessible for entrepreneurs across various sectors,’ he added.

The Heydar Aliyev Foundation has inaugurated another modern educational facility in the capital, this time in Baku’s Khazar district. The newly rebuilt school, Secondary School No. 324, was originally constructed in 2007 but had since fallen into disrepair and become unsuitable for use.

Due to overcrowding, the school had been operating in three shifts and lacked essential facilities such as workshops and laboratories. To address these shortcomings, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation launched large-scale reconstruction and renovation works in September 2024.

As part of the project, the number of classrooms was expanded and new specialized laboratories for physics, chemistry, and biology were established, alongside rooms for computer science, military training, and technology. The building was also equipped with a library, cafeteria, gymnasium, sports grounds, and an auditorium.

In addition, landscaping and greening works were carried out on the school grounds. The modernized school is now ready to welcome teachers and students in the new academic year.

On October 2, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Dick Schoof, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in Copenhagen, Azernews reports.

The Prime Minister of the Netherlands congratulated the head of state on the results achieved in Washington regarding the advancement of the peace agenda between Armenia and Azerbaijan, emphasizing their significance.

President Ilham Aliyev, in turn, highlighted the importance of the Washington Declaration, signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump, and the document on the normalization of relations between the two countries for regional peace, noting that peace already exists between the two nations. During the meeting, they emphasized that Dutch companies are successfully operating in Azerbaijan, spanning sectors such as shipping, port construction, the electrical industry, agriculture, urban planning, and other areas.

The discussions also touched upon cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Netherlands within international organizations.

The Prime Minister of the Netherlands extended congratulations on the successful hosting of COP29 in Azerbaijan, noting that significant results were achieved in the context of the international climate agenda during the event.

The opening ceremony of the 7th Summit of the European Political Community was held in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, Azernews reports.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the event.

Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen welcomed President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and other heads of state and government attending the Summit.

This year’s Summit brings together heads of state and government from nearly 50 countries.

Discussions during plenary sessions and the round tables focus on topics including overall security situation in Europe, the Russia-Ukraine war, economic security, migration, traditional and hybrid threats.

The European Political Community is an intergovernmental platform aimed at strengthening cooperation in security, economic stability, and democratic governance. It promotes political and economic coordination both within and beyond the European Union, among small and large countries alike. The Community’s goal is to develop political dialogue and cooperation to address common challenges and enhance the security, stability, and prosperity of the European continent.

The Speaker of the Milli Majlis, Sahiba Gafarova, held a meeting with the Speaker of the Congress of Deputies of Spain, Francina Armengol, within the framework of the 11th Summit of the Speakers of the Parliaments of the G20 countries in Cape Town, Azernews reports.

According to the Press and Public Relations Department of the Milli Majlis, Sahiba Gafarova recalled her first official visit to Spain in May and her earlier meeting with Francina Armengol, noting that mutual visits and exchanges provide valuable opportunities for strengthening bilateral ties. She stressed that the current meeting contributes to the further development of relations between the two countries and their parliaments.

Both sides highlighted the importance of deepening cooperation between legislative bodies and noted that contacts between parliamentary delegations could make a positive contribution to bilateral relations.

Gafarova also briefed her Spanish counterpart on the situation in the region, including the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as restoration and reconstruction activities in the liberated territories. In turn, Armengol congratulated on the initialing of the peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia and expressed Spain’s support for efforts aimed at ensuring lasting peace and security in the South Caucasus.

The meeting further addressed issues of mutual interest.