“The African Union is currently a full member of the G20. Africa is also fighting for two permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council, and Azerbaijan fully supports this.
For Azerbaijan, Africa is not a distant continent. It is a continent of partners, friends, and shared aspirations. Our relations are built on the principles of mutual respect, solidarity, and support for territorial integrity and sovereignty. Taking this opportunity, I thank all African countries for their continued support for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty during the years of occupation and in the subsequent period.”
The MFA official stated that in recent years, Azerbaijan’s relations with Africa have expanded significantly. Political dialogue has intensified, diplomatic contacts have increased, and cooperation in various fields has entered a new stage: “Since last year, 12 political consultations have been held with African countries. Five government missions have been carried out by a multi-faceted delegation of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Today, Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with all African countries except the Central African Republic, and the establishment of relations with that country is also planned for September of this year.”
It was reported that in the last three years, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Africa has increased from 150 million US dollars to 580 million US dollars in 2025. This significant growth demonstrates the great potential of our economic partnership.
It was noted that the number of African leaders visiting Azerbaijan for bilateral visits and various events has increased significantly in the last three years: “This list includes presidents and heads of government from Somalia, Kenya, Egypt, Rwanda, Angola, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Mauritius, and other countries. We see broad opportunities for cooperation in areas such as energy and renewable energy, agriculture and food security, transport and logistics, mining, education and vocational training, digitalization, innovation, and the provision of public services. In 2024, Azerbaijan hosted the COP29 event. We highly appreciate the active participation of African countries in COP29. The new collective financial goal adopted at the event was an important step.
However, much remains to be done to improve access to climate finance for developing countries, including African states. We have always recognized and promoted Africa’s special circumstances in combating the consequences of climate change.
We have also carried out important activities in the field of humanitarian cooperation. The Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Leyla Aliyeva have implemented important humanitarian projects in a number of African countries.
The Azerbaijan International Development Agency, operating under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, continues to implement projects in various directions in Africa.”