Azerbaijan expands its African foreign policy engagement A focus on the Global South

Today, Azerbaijan is one of the few countries on the global stage making concrete efforts to support the development of Global South states. This has been evident both in the context of COP29’s agenda and in the assistance Baku has provided to several countries in this geographic area, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this regard, the development of Azerbaijan-Rwanda relations can be highlighted, which received a new impetus during the recent official visit of Rwandan President Paul Kagame to Azerbaijan. This concerns not only the signing of several documents, including an air transport agreement, cooperation arrangements in education, a programme to establish a mechanism for providing modern public services, and other initiatives, but also the overall tone of the visit. Statements made to the press by the Rwandan head of state and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev confirmed the existence of a special mutual understanding between Kigali and Baku.

Before delving further into this topic, it is worth noting the steady progress made in this direction.

In 2022, during the International Defence Exhibition ADEX, the parties reached an agreement on military-technical cooperation.

In 2023, an agreement was signed exempting holders of diplomatic and service passports of both countries from visa requirements.

In 2024, the leaders of the two countries discussed trade and economic ties, investment cooperation, and other matters within the framework of COP29.

As for 2025, Azerbaijan first sent a government mission to Rwanda to discuss cooperation in trade, investment, mining, the oil and gas sector, education, and other areas. During the visit, the first round of political consultations between the foreign ministries of the two countries also took place.

Subsequently, a delegation from the State Agency for Public Services and Social Innovations visited Kigali to present the activities of the ASAN service system. Following the meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed, envisaging the implementation of this model in Rwanda.

It is no coincidence that, at the conclusion of the talks, President Ilham Aliyev emphasised that Azerbaijan and Rwanda are excellent partners and friends, always supporting each other.

Paul Kagame, in turn, expressed his desire to leverage cooperation and friendship to accelerate the path to prosperity for both countries. He emphasised that Rwanda has learned a great deal from Azerbaijan’s experience and has seen the achievements that can be attained through bilateral engagement. The Rwandan president also highlighted Rwanda’s readiness to provide Azerbaijan with opportunities to participate in the development of several key sectors of the country’s economy, including the oil and mining industries.

President Ilham Aliyev, for his part, affirmed Baku’s readiness to engage in investment projects in Rwanda.

Kagame also touched on the topic of a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, noting that Rwanda is pursuing a similar document in its relations with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but “you are ahead of us.”

Ilham Aliyev, in turn, pointed out the opportunities for the Heydar Aliyev Foundation to support educational programmes in Rwanda, stressing that this should become “one of the priorities in our bilateral relations.”

In this context, it is worth recalling that in December 2024, as part of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s project “Development of Education and Culture in African Countries”, a school in the city of Rwamagana was provided with access to drinking water. At the same time, the educational institution, which accommodates around 1,000 students, received computers and internet access.

Particular importance was also attached to President Ilham Aliyev’s emphasis on increasing the number of Rwandan students participating in Azerbaijan’s state scholarship programme.

Another notable aspect of the visit was Kigali’s strong interest in Azerbaijan’s experience in public service delivery. During his stay in Baku, Paul Kagame visited the ASAN service centre, showing special attention to projects implemented in the field of social innovation.

Thus, relations between Azerbaijan and Rwanda are developing steadily, vividly demonstrating Baku’s unique approach to engagement with the African continent. In this context, significant platforms for high-level meetings with the leaders of Egypt, Algeria, Congo, and Somalia have included the 2019 Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement Contact Group on COVID-19 response, as well as the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Substantial agreements were also reached during the visit of the President of Congo to Azerbaijan in 2024. Leaders from Somalia and Guinea-Bissau also visited the country, contributing to the development of cooperation in various areas, including defence and education.

Particular mention should be made of negotiations in the mining sector with Congo, Sierra Leone, and Mali. Against this background, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation has implemented projects in several African countries in the fields of healthcare, social welfare, and education. These include financial support for the expansion of the African Heritage School and the provision of medical equipment to Djibouti to develop its healthcare system.

Plans are also underway to implement initiatives in education and culture in other African countries.

All of the above confirms that Azerbaijan is committed not just in words but in action to helping Global South states reach a new level of development. This is precisely what shapes Azerbaijan’s unique format of relations with African countries.