Azerbaijani, Turkish leaders hold strategic talks as Antalya Diplomacy Forum begins PHOTO

On April 11, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held a meeting with President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Antalya, as part of his working visit to attend the 4th Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2025).

The meeting was officially reported on the website of the Azerbaijani presidency, Caliber.Az reports.

During their talks, the two leaders expressed their satisfaction with the continued successful development of the fraternal and allied ties between Azerbaijan and Türkiye across all sectors. They also discussed prospects for further expanding bilateral cooperation.

President Aliyev extended his gratitude to President Erdoğan for the invitation to participate in the forum, emphasizing that the Antalya Diplomacy Forum has become one of the leading global platforms for addressing key international issues. The two leaders also exchanged views on bilateral relations, as well as on regional developments in the South Caucasus and the Middle East.

President Aliyev had arrived in Antalya on April 10 at the invitation of the Turkish president. He was accompanied by First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva. Upon arrival at Antalya International Airport, the Azerbaijani delegation was welcomed by the Governor of Antalya, Hulusi Şahin, and other senior Turkish officials.

The 4th Antalya Diplomacy Forum is being held from April 11 to 13, under the auspices of President Erdoğan and hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye. The event has grown into a prominent platform for high-level dialogue and international cooperation.

This year’s theme, “Reclaiming Diplomacy in a Fragmented World,” reflects the urgent need for diplomacy to reassert its relevance in a time of increasing geopolitical divisions, global inequality, intolerance, civilian suffering, technological disruption, and the mounting consequences of the climate crisis.

Forum organizers note that the current global system has struggled to provide effective responses to these challenges, leading to diminished trust between nations and strained multilateral cooperation. Against this backdrop, ADF2025 aims to explore how diplomacy can adapt to navigate the complex global landscape and encourage constructive collective action.

The event has drawn participation from more than 20 heads of state and government, over 50 foreign ministers, more than 70 ministers in total, and around 60 senior representatives from international organizations. In total, approximately 4,000 participants—including academics, students, and civil society representatives—are attending the forum.

Throughout the three-day event, more than 50 sessions are scheduled in a variety of formats, focusing on regional dynamics in areas such as the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America, as well as addressing cross-cutting global concerns like climate change, counterterrorism, humanitarian assistance, digitization, food security, and artificial intelligence.

President Ilham Aliyev’s participation not only underscores the close strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Türkiye but also reflects Baku’s active role in regional and international diplomacy.

By Tamilla Hasanova