Azerbaijani president in New York: chronicle of key events PHOTO / VIDEO/ UPDATED

Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, is currently on a working visit to New York City, United States of America, to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

11:19 - 27.03.2025

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has concluded his working visit to the United States, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

The main focus of President Aliyev’s visit was his participation in the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80), which is being held in New York from September 9 to 29, 2025. Under the theme “Better Together: 80 years and more for peace, development, and human rights,” UNGA 80 brought together world leaders to address pressing global issues and reflect on the UN’s eight decades of work.

During the session, President Aliyev addressed the international community on key regional issues, including the historical context of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, post-conflict reconstruction in liberated territories, and Azerbaijan’s role in global transport and logistics corridors such as the Middle Corridor. His speech highlighted Azerbaijan’s efforts to promote stability, economic growth, and regional cooperation, reaffirming the country’s commitment to international law and multilateral diplomacy.

In addition to his UNGA engagement, President Aliyev held a series of high-level meetings with U.S. officials, discussing bilateral cooperation, regional security, economic development, and strategic partnerships. 

Fourth day of the visit

On September 25, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev delivered a speech at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Caliber.Az presents the full text of the President’s speech, as provided by AZERTAC

Speech by President Ilham Aliyev

- Ladies and Gentlemen,

For many years, I spoke from this tribune about the tragedies of aggression, occupation, and injustice experienced by Azerbaijan. Today, I will speak about our long road to victory and peace, and a new era in Azerbaijan’s history, about how we managed to end the occupation through a liberation war, and how we won peace by political means.

For nearly three decades, almost twenty percent of Azerbaijan’s sovereign territory remained under military occupation by Armenia. One million Azerbaijanis were expelled from their homes as a result of the policy of ethnic cleansing and war crimes conducted by Armenia. Their fundamental human rights were grossly violated. Four United Nations Security Council resolutions, adopted in 1993, demanded the immediate, complete, and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories. Sadly, these resolutions were never implemented. Armenia demonstratively ignored them because no sanctions were imposed on it by the international community.

The OSCE Minsk Group, established in 1992 to facilitate a settlement, has failed in its mission. Instead of enforcing the norms and principles of international law, its co-chairs sought to preserve the status quo and keep the conflict frozen.

In 2020, after almost 30 years of ineffective negotiations, Azerbaijan was forced to exercise its legitimate right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. During the war, Armenia shelled our towns and cities, launched ballistic missiles and used cluster munitions, killing more than a hundred innocent civilians. Azerbaijan, in its turn, conducted the war in strict compliance with international humanitarian law. We ensured the protection of civilians and refrained from targeting non-military infrastructure. In the 44-Day Patriotic War, our armed forces liberated occupied territories and restored Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity in accordance with international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

The 10 November 2020 marked the capitulation of Armenia and restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity after nearly 30 years of occupation.

Right after our victorious war, Azerbaijan declared its readiness to open a new page in relations with Armenia based on mutual recognition of territorial integrity and sovereignty. We proposed five basic principles rooted in international law. We tabled the proposal for a Peace Treaty. Then we initiated a negotiation process on its draft text, which lasted from October 2022 to summer 2025. Despite several attempts to derail the process, the negotiations produced positive results, as they were conducted on a strict bilateral basis, free from any kind of external interference.

On August 8 this year, the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Washington, in the White House, in the presence of the leaders of the United States, Azerbaijan and Armenia initialed the text of the peace agreement. The same day, the President of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia signed the Joint Declaration. President of the United States Donald Trump also signed it as a witness. Moreover, Azerbaijan and Armenia jointly appealed for the closure of the OSCE Minsk Group and related structures, as an obsolete mechanism no longer relevant to the peace process. Accordingly, on 1 September, the OSCE adopted a decision to permanently close these structures.

Regional connectivity has been at the core of our vision for lasting peace. Another key outcome of the Washington Summit is the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP), which will ensure unimpeded access through the Zangazur corridor and foster regional connectivity.

The recent Washington Summit has also signaled a new phase in Azerbaijan-US relations. Together with President Donald Trump, we signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the two governments regarding the establishment of a Strategic Working Group to develop a Charter on strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and the United States. It opens new horizons for partnership in political, economic, energy, regional connectivity, defense, security, and other fields.

The waiver by President Trump of the sanctions imposed on Azerbaijan in 1992, in the form of the Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, is a historic step as well. The permanent removal of Section 907 by the US Congress would eliminate a legacy of double standards and help strengthen trust and cooperation at a time when Azerbaijan is contributing to global security and stability.

Overall, the agreements reached during my August visit to the United States carry historic significance.

I want to express my gratitude to President Donald Trump for opening a new chapter in the US-Azerbaijan relationship, for his decision to elevate it to the strategic partnership level, and for his support to the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Right after the victory in the Patriotic War of 2020, Azerbaijan started the large-scale reconstruction program in the liberated territories. During the time of occupation, Armenia levelled to the ground hundreds of Azerbaijani cities and villages, deliberately ruined 65 mosques. That was the policy of Armenia, which was ruled by war criminals for almost 30 years. We are rebuilding villages and cities razed to the ground. Under the Great Return Program, already more than 50,000 people live, work, and study in the liberated territories.

One of the gravest humanitarian challenges facing Azerbaijan in the post-conflict period is the landmine contamination during the time of Armenian occupation. Since November 2020, more than 400 Azerbaijani civilians and military personnel have been killed or seriously injured by landmine explosions. This massive contamination obstructs the safe return of displaced persons and delays reconstruction projects.

Similarly, the tragic fate of nearly four thousand Azerbaijanis who went missing during the Armenian aggression and occupation since the early 1990s continues to require close attention and action.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Coming to the global challenges we are facing, we believe that the response must be inclusive, fair, and universal.

Through its many initiatives, Azerbaijan has shown its clear commitment to advancing sustainable solutions.

Azerbaijan is proud to have hosted COP29 last year, where we achieved important outcomes in advancing climate action, the green transition, and equitable access to financing. As the host of COP29, we guided negotiations towards ambitious and balanced outcomes, ensuring that all voices, particularly those of the developing world, were heard.

The adoption of the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) at COP29, also known as the Baku Finance Goal, is a historic milestone in global climate finance. This commitment brings the previous 100 billion USD annual climate finance goal to at least 300 billion USD per year through 2035 from public sources in developed countries to developing countries. Azerbaijan also successfully finalized the long-awaited framework for carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, making the Paris Agreement fully operational nine years after its adoption. Several key agreements were signed at COP29 to make the Loss and Damage Fund fully operational, providing critical support for vulnerable communities impacted by climate change.

Being strongly committed to the green transition, we at the same time should not put unrealistic targets in front of us. The world cannot live without fossil fuels today and in foreseeable future.

Energy security is closely linked to peace, regional connectivity, and economic development. Azerbaijan continues to play a proactive role in advancing these objectives globally. Azerbaijan has established itself as a reliable and indispensable partner in providing energy security to many countries. We play a strategic role connecting the Caspian region with international markets through a diversified oil and gas pipeline system.

As of today, we are supplying natural gas to 14 countries. This ranks Azerbaijan as the top country in the world in terms of the number of countries it supplies with pipeline gas. This reflects our strategic role in enhancing energy security and diversifying supply routes across Europe and beyond. Moreover, Azerbaijan and Syria have recently strengthened their bilateral partnership, focusing on energy supply, infrastructure development, and post-conflict reconstruction. Since August this year, Azerbaijan started to supply Syria with natural gas via Türkiye, significantly reducing its electricity shortages.

Azerbaijan also attracts large investments in renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydro power. Almost 40 % of our energy will be generated by renewables by 2030.

Connectivity projects, like the East-West and North-South Corridors, cross our country. We have witnessed almost 90% growth in cargo volumes through the Middle Corridor since 2022. The transit times along the Corridor have been significantly reduced. The biggest trade fleet in the Caspian, Alat International Trade Port, with its annual capacity reaching 25 million tons in the near future, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad, 9 international airports, the biggest air-cargo company in the region, and many other factors have turned Azerbaijan into one of the international transport hubs.

There is a great potential for cooperation in digital connectivity. Azerbaijan leads the digital transformation initiative through such ambitious projects as the Digital Silk Way. This project includes plans for an advanced fiber-optic cable network under the Caspian Sea, establishing Azerbaijan as a key regional digital hub.

Azerbaijan achieved significant economic growth by focusing on diversifying its economy beyond oil and gas, developing the non-oil sector, and improving the investment climate through reforms and transparency. Reducing poverty and unemployment to a historic low of 5% is another achievement of our country.

Recently, two major international rating agencies (Moody’s and Fitch) have increased Azerbaijan’s ranking. Azerbaijan was provided with a favorable investment-grade status, citing very strong external balance, low public debt, and substantial sovereign wealth assets as key strengths. This underscores our economic resilience, strong fiscal discipline, and favorable investment climate. Our foreign debt is only 6.5% of GDP, which is one of the lowest in the world. Azerbaijan’s foreign exchange reserves exceed its foreign debt almost 16 times.

Back in 2022 at the Summit of the Caspian Littoral States I raised the issue of environmental degradation of the Caspian Sea. Today situation is much worse. Caspian Sea is shrinking rapidly. The main reason is not climate change. Joint efforts of littoral states are needed to stop ecological catastrophe with unpredictable consequences. Azerbaijan also is ready to cooperation closely with the UN to tackle this problem.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Azerbaijan is proud of its global humanitarian assistance efforts. We are providing aid to countries affected by natural disasters, conflicts, and public health emergencies. Azerbaijan contributed to the COVID-19 response, donating and financing protective equipment, medical devices, and vaccines to over 80 countries in need.

Azerbaijan has entered a new era. We won, both in war and in peace. We ended the occupation and started reconstruction. Justice has triumphed, sovereignty has been consolidated, and peace is de-facto reached. We stand prepared to share our positive experience.

The achievements of recent years are not only a victory and success for Azerbaijan. They are also a demonstration that international law must ultimately prevail.

Our vision is clear: peace and development based upon international law, non-interference in the internal affairs of States, mutual respect, and cooperation.

Let us together build a world without double standards, where justice is not selective, the rule of law is respected, and peace is achieved not through words alone, but through actions.

Thank you

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, met on September 25 at the UN headquarters in New York.

The president first signed the UN’s guest book. Then, President Ilham Aliyev and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres took a joint photo, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

The Secretary-General congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on the progress in advancing the peace agenda between Armenia and Azerbaijan and on the historic results achieved.

Recalling his visit to Azerbaijan as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Guterres noted that he had witnessed the dire situation of refugees and internally displaced persons on the ground. He expressed his satisfaction that these issues are now in the past and highlighted the large-scale projects undertaken by the Azerbaijani government to facilitate the return of IDPs to their native lands.

The UN Secretary-General also congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on the successful hosting of COP29 in Azerbaijan and the achievements in advancing the global climate agenda, expressing gratitude for the excellent organization of the event.

Guterres hailed the development of cooperation between the UN and Azerbaijan, thanking the country for supporting the organization’s activities in other regions and noting significant prospects for collaboration in addressing international crises.

The Secretary-General highlighted Azerbaijan’s active role in multilateral diplomacy, particularly its successful chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement, and emphasized that Azerbaijan’s support as a donor country for various UN institutions is highly valued.

He also acknowledged Azerbaijan’s role in fostering regional cooperation projects and establishing regional transport links with Central Asia.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the congratulations.

The President underscored the historic significance of the results achieved in normalizing relations and advancing the peace agenda between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Noting that the relations between the two countries and the regional situation have fundamentally changed, the head of state stated that there had been no peace in the region since Azerbaijan and Armenia gained independence. “However, peace now prevails.” Stressing that both countries are adapting to living in peace, President Ilham Aliyev described this as a significant and historic achievement for both Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The head of state also highlighted the large-scale restoration and reconstruction efforts in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories. In this regard, President Ilham Aliyev noted that over 53,000 former IDPs have returned to their native lands and that Azerbaijan is implementing extensive restoration and reconstruction projects under the “Great Return” Program.

President Ilham Aliyev further mentioned that, as a donor country, Azerbaijan provided assistance to more than 80 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic and affirmed that it will continue to contribute to regional and international peace agendas.

Referring to the upcoming UN World Urban Forum in Azerbaijan in 2026, the head of state emphasized that the event will provide an excellent opportunity to share Azerbaijan’s rich experience in urban planning, particularly in post-conflict settings, with the international community.

Third day of the visit

Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva has shared a photo from New York on Instagram.

As a reminder, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev is on a working visit to New York to attend the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. His address to the General Assembly is scheduled for September 25.

On September 24, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held a meeting in New York with Adebayo Ogunlesi, Founding Partner, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Global Infrastructure Partners, a global infrastructure investment management company,  Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

The meeting focused on international partnership opportunities in the infrastructure sector and the role of joint investments in expanding regional economic ties.

President Ilham Aliyev highlighted the successful partnership established since 2024 between the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Global Infrastructure Partners, particularly noting the joint investment in Italo, Italy’s leading high-speed rail operator, as an example of effective cooperation. The head of state also emphasized that the company’s expertise in areas such as airport management, energy transition, and artificial intelligence infrastructure opens significant opportunities for future collaboration.

Adebayo Ogunlesi underscored that Azerbaijan’s strategic geographical location and sustainable development priorities create important opportunities for long-term investments in infrastructure. He expressed his company’s interest in deepening cooperation with Azerbaijan in the fields of energy transition, transportation, and digital infrastructure.

Global Infrastructure Partners was founded in 2006 in the United States. The company currently manages assets worth approximately $170 billion and operates offices in New York, London, Singapore, Sydney, and other global financial centers. A renewable energy company under Global Infrastructure Partners’ control is among the leading firms in this sector in the United States.

On September 24, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Jenny Johnson, Chief Executive Officer and President of Franklin Templeton, one of the world’s largest and most prestigious global investment firms, in New York.

The meeting included an exchange of views on the global investment environment, opportunities for emerging countries to access capital markets, and the role of international partnerships in economic transformation.

The discussion focused on future directions of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Franklin Templeton.

Jenny Johnson noted that economic projects and development initiatives implemented in Azerbaijan in recent years have created significant opportunities for international capital. She praised the stable and favorable environment established for investors in Azerbaijan, emphasizing that it provides a strong foundation for long-term partnerships.

The meeting highlighted that Franklin Templeton’s extensive and successful experience in capital markets, infrastructure, real estate, and renewable energy could contribute to Azerbaijan’s economic, financial, and green agendas.

President Ilham Aliyev addressed the close cooperation between Franklin Templeton and the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan, noting that this partnership is of great importance for deepening Azerbaijan’s capital markets, strengthening the region’s investment potential, and promoting sustainable development. The head of state also emphasized the significance of the company’s expertise in alternative investments and its successful projects in regional countries, underscoring broad opportunities for mutual collaboration.

Franklin Templeton, founded in 1947 in the United States, currently manages assets worth approximately $1.6 trillion. The company operates nearly 70 offices in more than 30 countries and manages over 1,000 mutual funds and a wide range of investment products in more than 170 countries.

On September 24, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Michael Arougheti, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the global investment firm Ares Management, in New York, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

The discussion highlighted the importance of cooperation with Ares Management for the sustainable development of Azerbaijan’s financial market and the attraction of foreign investment.

President Ilham Aliyev noted that partnerships established in this direction, particularly joint initiatives in alternative investments, could contribute to Azerbaijan’s economic goals.

The sides exchanged views on expanding the successful cooperation between the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Ares Management, ongoing since 2017, as well as the potential for future investment projects in sustainable infrastructure, logistics, real estate, education, and green energy.

Michael Arougheti praised Azerbaijan’s sustainable development policies and the favorable environment created for institutional investors, stressing that this opens broad opportunities for international partnerships. He emphasized that Ares Management is particularly interested in strengthening cooperation with Azerbaijan in the fields of green energy, logistics, and social infrastructure.

Ares Management operates in credit, real estate, private equity, and infrastructure. Founded in 1997 by Michael Arougheti and his partners, the company currently manages assets worth nearly $600 billion and ranks among the world’s top three firms in terms of warehouse and logistics investment assets.

On September 24, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Rossen Jeliazkov, Prime Minister of Bulgaria, in New York.

Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov stated that political relations between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria are at an excellent level.

In turn, President Ilham Aliyev noted that bilateral relations are characterized by traditional friendship and partnership.

During the conversation, they hailed the current successful cooperation in the energy sector, noting that there are new prospects for the development of relations in this field.

The parties exchanged their views on the development of relations between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria in various fields.

On September 24, Ilham Aliyev, President Azerbaijan, met with Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of the Portuguese Republic, in New York.

The President of Portugal first congratulated the head of state on the achievements in normalizing relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia and advancing the peace agenda, witnessed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the congratulations. Noting the historic significance of the Summit held in Washington, the head of state stated that Azerbaijan is the initiator of the peace agenda in the region and emphasized that the country will continue its efforts to strengthen peace in the region.

During the meeting, the parties highlighted the importance of developing relations between Azerbaijan and Portugal in various fields, continuing political consultations, and organizing mutual visits by delegations. They also discussed cooperation within international organizations.

On September 24, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Khush Choksy, Senior Vice President of the US Chamber of Commerce, in New York.

During the conversation, they noted that relations between Azerbaijan and the United States have risen to the level of strategic partnership, and there are currently significant opportunities for expanding economic and trade relations.

They had discussions on cooperation in energy, connectivity, artificial intelligence, and other fields, stemming from the Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of a Strategic Working Group to prepare the Charter on Strategic Partnership between Azerbaijan and the United States of America.

They emphasized the importance of establishing direct contacts between the business communities of Azerbaijan and the United States, as well as organizing mutual visits by business delegations, noting that there is significant potential for developing cooperation in the tourism sector.

Khush Choksy expressed his intention to visit Azerbaijan soon with a large delegation to explore business opportunities.

Second day of the visit

On September 23, an official reception was held in New York on behalf of President of the United States Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump in connection with the 80th session of the UN General Assembly.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the event, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

Speaking at the reception, U.S. President Donald Trump said: Armenia and Azerbaijan. I want to thank you, my friend. Twenty-two years you said you were there, right? Twenty-two years. And for twenty-two years you were at war.

President Ilham Aliyev: Even more.

President Donald Trump: More than that?

President Ilham Aliyev: Over 30 years. You did a miracle, Mr. President. Thank you.

President Donald Trump: And I made some friends. Thank you. It was great. We had a great meeting today with the leaders of countries right in that area. They're Middle Eastern. They're great people. They're friends of mine. And we've got to get them back, and we've got to get that war over fast. We want to do it fast. And we've come with, I think, a really good plan. And I think it can be implemented fast.

I don't know if we can implement it as fast as your plan. All those years, it took courage to achieve this. And it's really because of you and your new friend. Really good. How's it working out? Good? No shooting? No nothing?

President Ilham Aliyev: No, no. Everything is finished on August 8.

President Donald Trump: I'm very proud of you. Good. Great job.

So I met some of you in the room and I know so many of you. You're amazing people. You're leaders at the highest level. What you're doing is amazing. Think of it — all those millions of people in your countries, and you're leading your country and you're leading the world. That's why you're here. And I just want to let you know it's an honor to be with you. I look forward to shaking your hand. And we're going to have a lot of fun together. We're going to live in a peaceful world.

First Lady Melania Trump: I had a great initiative that I just hosted this afternoon — “Fostering the Future Together.” I hope all of the first ladies and spouses will join me next year in the White House, in the first quarter, and we will have success for the children around the world. Thank you.

Video from New York: An official reception was hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump on the occasion of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The event was attended by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva.

📹 Видео из Нью-Йорка: от имени президента США Дональда Трампа и первой леди Мелании Трамп был организован официальный приём по случаю 80-й сессии Генеральной Ассамблеи ООН. В мероприятии приняли участие Президент Азербайджана Ильхам Алиев и первая леди Мехрибан Алиева.#Caliber… pic.twitter.com/AYj1Zk4JZ5

— Caliber (@Caliberaz) September 24, 2025

On September 23, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Alexander Stubb, President of Finland, at the UN headquarters in New York.

The Finnish President congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the historic achievements reached in Washington, noting that Finland has always supported peace in the region, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed gratitude for the congratulations and recalled that during Finland’s Chairpersonship of the OSCE, the decision was made to dissolve the OSCE Minsk Group. The head of state emphasized that Azerbaijan and Armenia have now entered a period of peace.

The conversation highlighted the importance of joint efforts to advance the peace agenda.

The presidents also discussed bilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Finland, collaboration within international organizations, and exchanged views on Azerbaijan–European Union relations.

On September 23, Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, met with William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya, at the UN headquarters in New York.

During the conversation, the heads of state hailed the development of relations between Azerbaijan and Kenya. They noted that the opening of Azerbaijan’s embassy in Kenya has given impetus to the development of bilateral relations. The two leaders underlined the importance of mutual visits at various levels, touching upon the organization of visits by delegations of government officials to further enhance bilateral ties. In this regard, they highlighted that there are ample opportunities for cooperation in energy, agriculture, industry, and other fields.

The heads of state exchanged their views on cooperation between the two countries within international organizations.

On September 23, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, at the UN headquarters in New York.

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe congratulated the head of state on the achievements reached between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the congratulations.

During the conversation, they discussed the significance of the Washington meeting, which included the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group, the initialing of an agreement on the normalization of relations between the two countries, and the Washington Declaration signed in the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump. The importance of these developments in ensuring lasting peace in the region was emphasized.

Alain Berset highlighted the Council of Europe’s support for the regional peace agenda.

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe fondly recalled his visit to Azerbaijan during COP29 and his meetings with the head of state during that time and other international events.

During the meeting, they shared their views on cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe.

On September 23, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, at the UN headquarters in New York.

Prime Minister Mitsotakis congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as the historic meeting held in Washington, stressing the significance of these achievements in strengthening regional peace.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed gratitude for the congratulations and emphasized that Azerbaijan is the initiator of the peace agenda in the region. The President highlighted the importance of the Washington meeting in advancing the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia and noted the significant role played by U.S. President Donald Trump in this context. It was underlined that the agreement reached during the Washington meeting on establishing an unimpeded transport corridor between the main part of Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic holds great importance for regional connectivity.

The sides also acknowledged successful cooperation between Azerbaijan and Greece in the energy sector and emphasized the importance of expanding ties in the economy, trade, and tourism, as well as revitalizing the activities of the Intergovernmental Commission.

On September 23, Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, met with Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid, President of the Republic of Iraq, at the UN headquarters in New York.

The President of Iraq congratulated the head of state on the advancement of the peace agenda between Armenia and Azerbaijan, particularly on the initialing of an agreement in Washington on the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the congratulations and stated that Azerbaijan would continue its efforts to advance the peace agenda. The head of state highlighted the special role of U.S. President Donald Trump in achieving results in Washington.

During the conversation, the Iraqi President’s visits to Azerbaijan and his meetings with President Ilham Aliyev were recalled with satisfaction.

The meeting addressed the role of the Intergovernmental Commission in developing relations between Azerbaijan and Iraq, as well as cooperation in energy, tourism, and other fields. Additionally, they exchanged views on cooperation within international organizations, including the UN, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Non-Aligned Movement, and other institutions.

On September 23, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva participated in the high-level debates held at the UN headquarters in New York as part of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres greeted President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva.

The 80th session of the UN General Assembly, underway at the UN headquarters in New York, has brought together more than 150 heads of state and government. The session, themed “Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights,” features discussions on pressing global issues, including ongoing conflicts across the world, the Sustainable Development Goals, the climate crisis, and other challenges. The session will continue until September 30.

First day of the visit

On September 22, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Jonathan Gray, President and Chief Operating Officer of Blackstone, in New York.

Jonathan Gray underlined that Azerbaijan’s economic reforms and development processes have created attractive opportunities for international investors. He noted that Blackstone is keen to expand its successful cooperation with Azerbaijan, particularly with the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and highly praised the favorable investment environment established in the country.

President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to cooperation with leading global financial institutions, noting that the country’s economic environment, built on principles of stability, transparency, and sustainable development, provides a solid basis for new partnerships.

Founded in 1985 in New York, Blackstone is one of the world’s largest alternative investment management companies. Its investment portfolios cover private equity, real estate, credit, infrastructure, data centers, renewable energy, and hedge funds. The company currently manages assets worth over 1 trillion US dollars and operates in 27 cities worldwide, including London, Hong Kong, Dubai, Singapore, and Tokyo.

On September 22, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with George Walker, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Neuberger Berman, in New York.

The sides exchanged views on the current state and future prospects of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Neuberger Berman.

President Ilham Aliyev underlined that Azerbaijan attaches importance to expanding cooperation with international financial institutions and reputable investment companies, expressing confidence that the partnership with Neuberger Berman will continue to develop successfully.

It was noted during the meeting that the effective partnership between the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Neuberger Berman, established in 2016, has contributed both to the development of Azerbaijan’s financial sector and the expansion of international investment opportunities.

George Walker briefed the President on his company’s global financial and investment activities, expressing satisfaction with the existing cooperation with Azerbaijan. He stressed the significance of economic processes in the region for the company and pointed out that opportunities to expand the partnership through new projects are currently being explored.

Founded in 1939 in New York, Neuberger Berman is a global investment management firm that today manages assets worth over half a trillion US dollars for international institutions, advisors, and individual investors.

On September 22, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met in New York with Bruce Flatt, CEO of Brookfield Asset Management, one of the world’s largest alternative investment management companies.

Bruce Flatt noted that his visit to Azerbaijan in 2023 left a deep impression due to the country’s economic achievements and development processes. He highlighted the increasingly expanding successful cooperation between his company and the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Bruce Flatt congratulated Azerbaijan on the results achieved in Washington regarding the normalization of relations with Armenia, stating that this creates favorable opportunities for deepening economic cooperation in the region.

Hailing the successful development of relations between Azerbaijan and Brookfield Asset Management, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that this creates broad opportunities for the long-term strategic development of their cooperation.

During the conversation, they shared their views on Azerbaijan’s potential in the renewable energy sector and the prospects for the country to become a regional energy hub.

Brookfield Asset Management, founded in 1899 and headquartered in Canada, is a leading global company in alternative investment management. The company manages investment portfolios in key areas such as infrastructure, real estate, renewable energy, private equity, and credits. Currently, the total value of assets under Brookfield’s management exceeds $1 trillion. The company is represented in major financial centers worldwide, including New York, London, Sydney, Dubai, São Paulo, Mumbai, and Shanghai.

On September 22, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev arrived in New York City, United States, on a working visit to participate in the 80th session of the UN General Assembly.

President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva were welcomed by officials at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

By Vafa Guliyeva