Azerbaijan, Russia mull enhanced cooperation on emergency situations

A meeting was held in Moscow between Azerbaijan's First Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations Lt. Gen. Rafael Mirzoyev and Russia's Minister for Civil Defence, Emergencies, and Disaster Recovery Lt. Gen. Alexander Kurenkov.

The meeting focused on enhancing cooperation in the prevention and mitigation of natural disasters and technological incidents, Caliber.Az reports.

Both sides highlighted the successful implementation of the joint Action Plan for 2024-2026, signed earlier this year in Baku. As part of the agreement, Azerbaijani experts visited Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations’ "Leader" Centre for Special Risk Rescue Operations, participated in a seminar on international search and rescue operations at the "Centrospas" team and the Noginsk Rescue Centre, and attended the XV International Salon "Integrated Security – 2024".

In September, a joint exercise on the elimination of a mock disaster and oil spills in the northern Caspian Sea was held in Astrakhan.

The two countries also noted that, with the support of the International Civil Defence Organisation, three joint scientific and practical conferences and two advanced training courses were conducted throughout the year by relevant Russian emergency management institutions.

The importance of expanding bilateral cooperation in the coming year was stressed during the meeting. In late January 2025, Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations plans to hold interdepartmental experimental research exercises, "Safe Arctic – 2025", in Arkhangelsk, where Azerbaijan's Ministry of Emergency Situations intends to participate as an observer.

Kurenkov highlighted that the exercises would not only test modern approaches and technologies for dealing with natural and man-made disasters in the Arctic but would also provide new ideas for preparing for the upcoming joint international exercises "Caspian-2026".

The potential for mutually beneficial cooperation within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was also noted. Azerbaijan has expressed support for the initiative to elevate the meetings of the Interstate Council on Emergency Situations between Russia and Belarus to ministerial level, a move Kurenkov believes will further boost collaboration within the Commonwealth.

Both sides agreed that cooperation within the framework of the International Civil Defence Organisation is a key component of interstate relations concerning emergency situations. The organisation's potential has been instrumental in successfully implementing projects aimed at enhancing Azerbaijan’s emergency management services.

By Aghakazim Guliyev