Azerbaijan – UAE: Mutual support and strategic partnership Emirati president visits Karabakh

The official visit of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Azerbaijan proved to be highly significant. Its importance was evident from the very first steps on Azerbaijani soil, at Fuzuli International Airport. President Ilham Aliyev highlighted this, stating: “Your visit today is of particular importance because you are visiting Karabakh, the lands liberated from occupation, and this makes us, the entire Azerbaijani people, very happy.”

The signing of the Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in Karabakh itself further underscored the symbolic importance of the UAE president’s presence. This document clearly reflects the prior mutual understanding and cooperation between Abu Dhabi and Baku across virtually all sectors.

In 2021, Azerbaijan adopted the “Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities for Socio-Economic Development” strategy, with one of its key goals being the transformation of the country into a “green growth” zone. Priority regions included Karabakh, East Zangezur, and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

In 2022, SOCAR and the UAE-based company Masdar signed a Memorandum of Understanding on renewable energy. That same year, construction began on the Garadagh Solar Power Plant.

In 2023, Masdar and Baku signed investment agreements to build solar power plants in various regions of the country. In the same year, the UAE national oil and gas company ADNOC joined the Absheron project with a 30% stake. In 2024, SOCAR acquired a 3% share from ADNOC in the development of the SARB (Satah al Razboot) and Umm Lulu fields.

At COP29, SOCAR, Masdar, and ACWA Power (Saudi Arabia) signed a memorandum of cooperation for the production of 3.5 GW of wind energy in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea.

This summer, at the Baku Energy Forum, Bassem Tadros, Asset Management Director of XRG (an ADNOC subsidiary), highlighted Azerbaijan’s unique investment potential, citing its resources, rapidly growing market, and young, talented population: “When we look at Azerbaijan, we see not only a country with rich oil and gas resources, but also a territory ideally suited for the development of renewable energy sources - from geothermal energy to biomass.”

In 2024, Abu Dhabi’s direct investments in Azerbaijan’s economy reached nearly $491 million, while Azerbaijani investments in the UAE amounted to $458 million. President Aliyev, thanking UAE companies for their support in renewable energy development, emphasised that both sides have new, ambitious plans.

The comprehensive strategic partnership between Baku and Abu Dhabi naturally builds on the Economic Cooperation Agreement signed in the summer, which, according to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has given “a new impetus to our economic relations.”

Referring to President Ilham Aliyev as his brother, the UAE leader emphasised the need to expand cooperation not only in the economy and renewable energy but also in food security and culture. He highlighted the latter as fundamental, noting that cultural exchange serves as a bridge between peoples and helps preserve rich heritage. This statement resonates closely with President Aliyev’s long-standing emphasis on maintaining cultural and spiritual roots.

It is also worth noting the signing in 2024 of a memorandum between ANAMA and the UAE Embassy in Azerbaijan on cooperation in demining liberated territories.

In the summer of 2025, Abu Dhabi hosted the first-ever direct meeting between President Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan without intermediaries, marking a significant diplomatic success for Azerbaijan.

During the current visit, the UAE president underscored the special importance Abu Dhabi places on establishing peace and stability in the Caucasus, expressing interest in developing ties with all countries in the region—primarily in the interests of the peoples, led by Azerbaijan.

During the visit, 14 documents were signed, including memoranda on expanding the use of artificial intelligence in education and on cooperation between Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Economy and XRG for investment in the Southern Gas Corridor.

Notably, President Aliyev gifted Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan a Karabakh stallion named Ergunesh.

Even a brief look at the development of bilateral relations in recent years highlights their rapid growth across all sectors, far beyond energy and renewable sources.

President Aliyev described the cooperation as multifaceted, deep, and productive, emphasising that Azerbaijan and the UAE support each other both regionally and on the international stage. In turn, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan expressed confidence in continuing this collaboration and strengthening mutually beneficial relations based on friendship, for the further prosperity of both countries and their peoples.

Which, in essence, leaves little need for further comment.