Category: Azer News

Azerbaijan’s First Deputy Prime Minister Yagub Eyyubov has been awarded the “Istiglal” Order, Azernews reports.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed the relevant decree.

According to the decree, Eyyubov was awarded the mentioned order for his great contributions to the socio-economic development of the country.

On October 22, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Yagub Eyyubov and presented him with the ‘Istiglal’ Order, Azernews reports.

Welcoming Yagub Eyyubov, President Ilham Aliyev said:

– Dear Mr. Yagub, first of all, I congratulate you on your upcoming birthday and wish you good health and new successes. You have made a significant contribution to Azerbaijan’s development while serving in various responsible positions over many years. I highly appreciate this. As both you and I know, National Leader Heydar Aliyev always paid great attention to you. In the 1970s, he appointed you to responsible positions as a young cadre and showed great trust in you – trust which you fully justified. For this reason, during the period of independence, when the National Leader returned to power in 1993 at the demand of the people, he once again appointed you to several responsible positions, reaffirming his confidence in you. By his Order, you were appointed First Deputy Prime Minister, a position you have held since those years. Over the 22 years of my presidency, I have also repeatedly expressed my trust in you, reappointing you to the same position after every presidential election. Today, as I present you with this state award, I want to say that I am satisfied with your work. You serve the state and the homeland with dedication and loyalty. You are always proactive in your work and carry out my instructions with full responsibility. Taking into account your great services, I have awarded you the ‘Istiglal’ Order, the highest state decoration of Azerbaijan. With your permission, I now present this high order to you.

President Ilham Aliyev, presenting the ‘Istiglal’ Order to Yagub Eyyubov, said: I congratulate you.

Yagub Eyyubov: Thank you.

Expressing his gratitude to the head of state for the high appreciation of his work, Yagub Eyyubov shared memories related to National Leader Heydar Aliyev, noting that he had always strived to live up to the trust shown to him by both the National Leader and President Ilham Aliyev. He emphasized that under the leadership of the head of state, Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty had been fully restored, saying:

‘You are a genius personality who restored Azerbaijan’s lands. No one else could have done this – it seemed impossible. You are a great, highly skilled, and truly exceptional leader. That is why the entire nation and the whole world admire you and take pride in you.’

Emphasizing that being awarded the ‘Istiglal’ Order is a great honor for him, Yagub Eyyubov said: ‘I will never forget this for the rest of my life and will continue, to the best of my abilities, to serve you and our state with full dedication.’

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you very much.

The state budget of Azerbaijan has increased nearly 50 times over the past 30 years, according to Deputy Minister of Economy Sahib Alakbarov.

As reported by Azernews, citing Alakbarov, he made the remarks during a scientific-practical conference held by the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship. The event was dedicated to the “Year of the Constitution and Sovereignty” and focused on the topic of “Economic Foundations of State Sovereignty and Economic Independence.”

Highlighting the country’s progress, the deputy minister noted that between 2004 and 2024, Azerbaijan’s overall economy grew by 3.8 times, while the non-oil sector expanded 3.7 times.

“In 2003, the poverty rate stood at 44.7% and unemployment at 9.2%. By 2024, these figures had dropped significantly to 5.3%,” he said.

He added that a total of $344.4 billion has been invested in the national economy over the past two decades, with $213.2 billion directed toward the non-oil sector. According to Alakbarov, this reflects the country’s political stability and the reliability of its investment climate.

The transport and transit sector continues to be a top priority on Azerbaijan’s national agenda due to its strategic importance for enhancing trade, attracting investment, and unlocking new economic opportunities, said Prime Minister Ali Asadov at the 5th Tbilisi Silk Road Forum, Azernews reports.

The Prime Minister noted that Azerbaijan’s strategic geographic location, along with substantial investments in transport infrastructure, has solidified the country’s role as a major transport and logistics hub in the Eurasian region.

‘Azerbaijan has been consistently upgrading its transport infrastructure,’ he said.

‘As a result of Azerbaijani investments, the freight capacity of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway increased from 1 million to 5 million tons last year. Additionally, the second expansion phase of the Baku International Sea Trade Port – located at the crossroads of the country’s key rail and road networks – has been launched, aiming to boost its annual handling capacity from 15 million to 25 million tons.’

Asadov also highlighted that Azerbaijan possesses the largest commercial fleet in the Caspian Sea and operates the region’s biggest cargo airline.

In May this year, Azerbaijan inaugurated its ninth international airport in Lachin, and construction is currently underway on a new international cargo airport within the Alat Free Economic Zone.

‘These and several other strategic developments have positioned Azerbaijan as a key node in the international transport network,’ the Prime Minister emphasized.

Azerbaijan is taking decisive steps to maximize the potential of the Middle Corridor by enhancing infrastructure and streamlining cross-border operations, Azernews reports.

Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev made this statement during his speech at the 5th Tbilisi Silk Road Forum.

‘We have been working closely with our partners in Kazakhstan and especially Georgia, and I am grateful to them for ensuring the full use of the existing infrastructure,’ Nabiyev said, emphasizing the deepening regional cooperation underpinning the Middle Corridor’s success.

He noted that cargo transportation through Azerbaijan has increased substantially since 2022. ‘The volume of cargo passing through our territory has increased almost fivefold. As for container transportation, in 2023 we had only one or two block trains from China. Last year, this figure increased to almost 280, and in the first nine months of this year we increased this figure to 290. We expect about 400 container trains by the end of the year, and this is not the limit,’ he said.

Highlighting progress in reducing transport times, Nabiyev added, ‘When we started, it took about 53 days for the train to reach the ports of Poti and Batumi from the China-Kazakh border. Now we have managed to reduce this time to 15-18 days, but this is not the end. Our colleagues in Brussels have noted that it is quite possible to reduce this time to about 14 days, and we believe in this.’

He also underlined Azerbaijan’s commitment to addressing both infrastructural and procedural challenges along the route. ‘In August, we worked on the corridor project together with the Georgian and Kazakh railways. We engaged a consulting company to audit the section of the route-from the Kazakh border to the ports of Poti and Batumi, as well as our terminal in Akhal-Tekelyak. This allowed us to identify both infrastructure and bureaucratic obstacles. And in September, we signed a roadmap that includes specific action points to be implemented by 2028,’ Nabiyev concluded.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to the newly elected Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi.

Azernews presents the letter:

“Dear Madame Prime Minister,

I sincerely congratulate you on your election as Prime Minister of Japan.

We attach special importance to the comprehensive development of Azerbaijan-Japan relations. At present, there are excellent opportunities to further enrich cooperation between our two countries with new content in various fields.

I am confident that, in line with the interests of our peoples, we will make joint efforts to strengthen our interstate relations and expand our mutually beneficial cooperation on both bilateral and multilateral levels, fully utilizing the existing potential.

Once again, I convey my congratulations to you and wish you good health, happiness, and success in your responsible state activities for the well-being of the friendly people of Japan.”

The project “Wind of Culture” has been launched in Azerbaijan’s Garabagh region, Azernews reports.

The event was organised by the Culture Ministry’s Scientific, Methodological, and Qualification Centre for Culture (MEMIM), with the support of the Garabagh Regional Department of Culture.

MEMIM held a meeting with the Honoured Artist, performer, and educator Aqil Malikov, held at the Faculty of Arts of the Garabagh University in the city of Khankandi, as part of the “Master’s Friend” project.

The Dean of the Faculty, composer Turkar Gasimzade, thanked the organisers of the project, stressing the importance of such events for students.

In his speech, MEMIM Acting Director, Doctor of Philosophy in Art Studies, Associate Professor Vugar Humbatov, highlighted the revival and development of cultural life in Garabagh, thanking the guest of the project, Aqil Malikov, for his participation.

The meeting was moderated by MEMIM staff member Laman Ayyubova. Aqil Malikov discussed topics such as classical schools of Azerbaijani musical art, the proper selection of ghazals for performance in various mughams and dastgahs, and professional training for the youth.

During the interactive meeting, students of the Faculty of Arts, Khadija Ismayilova performed “Mahur-Khindi,” while Ismayil Ismayilov performed the mugham “Rakhab.” They were accompanied by faculty teachers Bahruz Zeynalov on the tar, Farid Babayev on the kamancha, and student Ilgar Suleymanli on the naghara.

Honoured Artists Sabuhi Ibayev, Fehruz Mammadov (Sakhavat), and Ehtiram Huseynov, along with singer Sabina Arabli, added colour to the event with their engaging performances.

At the end, Aqil Malikov answered questions that were of interest to the audience. The meeting, which included the teaching staff and students of the Garabagh University, was a great success.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, and Milli.Az.

Master’s students of the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory, who participated in a scientific internship program at the Baku Music Academy (BMA), have presented a concert program at the Academy, Azernews reports.

The concert was dedicated to the 140th anniversary of Azerbaijan’s great composer Uzeyir Hajibayli.

At the beginning of the concert, Baku Music Academy’s Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Professor Narmina Guliyeva, spoke about the Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan relations, noting the long-standing traditions and the continued collaboration between the two countries’ higher education institutions, which she highly praised.

People’s Artist, Doctor of Philosophy, Vice-Rector for Science and Creative Affairs, Professor Gulnaz Abdullazade, wished the students success in their endeavors.

The concert featured works by composers from Kazakhstan and other countries, as well as folk music pieces.

At the end of the event, Nargiz Huseynova, Head of the Additional Education Department at Baku Music Academy, was presented with a certificate of appreciation from the delegation of the Kazakhstan National Conservatory.

The Kazakh National Conservatory’s master’s students were awarded certificates confirming the completion of their professional development courses.

In turn, the students expressed their gratitude to the Baku Music Academy’s faculty and staff, particularly to People’s Artist and Baku Music Academy’s Rector, Professor Farhad Badalbayli, for their attention and care.

The master’s students of the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory (Group 1) are nearing the completion of their scientific internship program at the Baku Music Academy.

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev shared a post on his social media accounts regarding his state visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Azernews presents the post:

On October 22, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia.

The Foreign Minister congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on the achievements attained in Washington regarding the advancement of the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia, according to Azernews.

The head of state expressed his gratitude for the congratulations, highlighting the special role of U.S. President Donald Trump in this process. President Ilham Aliyev noted that the agreements reached at the Washington meeting are of historical significance and emphasized the importance of establishing a transport link between mainland Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan region.

The Estonian Foreign Minister underscored that Azerbaijan’s permission for the transit of grain imported by Armenia from Kazakhstan through Azerbaijani territory is a significant step toward the normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations.

The minister stated that he arrived in Azerbaijan with a large business delegation and noted that a business forum was held in Baku, expressing hope that such events would boost the development of economic and trade relations between the two countries.

He mentioned Estonia’s support for Azerbaijan’s relations with the European Union and NATO, and praised the positive momentum in the development of Azerbaijan-EU relations.

President Ilham Aliyev fondly recalled his meetings with the President of the European Council Antonio Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in Tirana and Copenhagen, noting that new prospects for cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union have opened in energy, transport connectivity, and other areas.

Margus Tsahkna also extended congratulations on the successful hosting of COP29 in Azerbaijan, emphasizing that the event had produced significant outcomes in advancing the international climate agenda.

During the conversation, they exchanged views on issues of mutual interest.