Azerbaijan actively supports running Black Sea forum in Türkiye —governor

Azerbaijan is providing active support for the International Black Sea – Rize-Ayder Forum, which is considered one of the key economic, social, and cultural events in the Black Sea region, Governor of Türkiye's Rize Province, İhsan Selim Baydaş, has said.

According to him, alongside the support by the Rize Governorship, the municipality, and Türkiye's Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) plays an important role in organising the forum, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

“President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in his speeches, calls for turning the Ayder Plateau into a platform for discussing global, national, and international issues—similar to Davos. Ayder has all the potential to achieve this goal. We highly appreciate the enthusiasm of BSEC Secretary General Asef Hajiyev, an Azerbaijani, in his efforts to make Rize one of the strongest economic zones in the Black Sea region,” the governor said.

He emphasised that the first forum included experts and scholars from 10 countries, whereas this year the number has exceeded 40.

“There are also delegations from Azerbaijan, including MPs. The goal of the event is to bring together experts, academics, government representatives, civil society, and the private sector at both national and international levels, to more effectively showcase the region’s potential on the global stage,” Baydaş added.

It is worth noting that the forum is being held under the motto “Energy, Global Security, and Diplomacy” and will continue until January 17.

By Khagan Isayev