Azerbaijan, Gulf Cooperation Council discuss enhancing cooperation

Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev met with Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi. 

“I am pleased to meet with H.E. Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the of the Gulf Cooperation Council. We exchanged views on the successful relations between Azerbaijan and the GCC and discussed opportunities for further expanding our cooperation,” Hajiyev said on X, per Caliber.Az.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) — formed in 1981 — unites six Arab monarchies of the Persian Gulf: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman.

In June 2013, Azerbaijan and the GCC Secretariat signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing institutionalised cooperation.

In late 2023, a GCC–Azerbaijan Joint Action Plan for 2024–2028 was adopted, formally setting out areas of cooperation: trade & investment, energy, logistics, political dialogue, regional coordination, and more.

As of September 2024, Gulf investments in Azerbaijan have reached several billions — one estimate puts GCC‑origin investments around $4‑7 billion.

By Khagan Isayev