Azerbaijan’s NATO ties get a boost in high-level talks with Borgini

The Head of Azerbaijan's Mission to NATO, Jafar Huseynzade, met with NATO's Assistant Secretary General for Administrative Affairs, Carlo Borgini.

Huseynzade shared the details of the meeting on his official X page, highlighting the significance of the talks, Caliber.Az reports.

"I was delighted to meet today with Carlo Borghini, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Executive Management. We had a fruitful discussion on the Azerbaijan-NATO partnership within the framework of Partnership for Peace, as well as the current administrative matters," Huseynzade wrote.

As a reminder, Azerbaijan has maintained a robust and evolving partnership with NATO since joining the North Atlantic Cooperation Council in 1992. This collaboration was further strengthened when Azerbaijan joined the Partnership for Peace (PfP) program in 1994, followed by the signing of the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) in 2004, which has been renewed through multiple cycles.

Azerbaijan's contributions to NATO-led operations are notable. The Azerbaijani Armed Forces have participated in missions such as the Kosovo Force (KFOR), the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, and the Resolute Support Mission. Notably, in August 2021, Azerbaijan played a pivotal role in securing Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport during the evacuation of personnel from Allied and Partner countries.

Beyond military cooperation, Azerbaijan engages with NATO in areas including civil emergency planning, energy security, cybersecurity, and public diplomacy. The establishment of the NATO Information Center in Baku in 2006 exemplifies efforts to raise public awareness and foster dialogue on security issues.

In 2022, NATO introduced the Individually Tailored Partnership Program (ITPP), which aims to consolidate existing partnership documents into a single framework, enhancing the flexibility and effectiveness of cooperation.

Azerbaijan's consistent engagement with NATO underscores its commitment to regional stability and security, while maintaining a neutral stance in broader geopolitical alignments.

By Aghakazim Guliyev