Baku as global decision-making centre Reflections on President Aliyev’s address

Another insightful address by President Ilham Aliyev. Once again, the head of state delivered a set of crucial messages to diverse audiences, highlighting the strength and resilience of Azerbaijan. This speech, however, carries a particular weight given that it was delivered during the XII Global Baku Forum, which President Aliyev referred to as one of the leading international platforms for addressing critical global issues. His words echo with historical significance, and to avoid any ambiguity, let’s delve into one key detail.

For years, the geopolitical calendar has begun with the economic forum in Davos in January, followed by the Munich Security Conference in February. The former has traditionally served as a platform for outlining global economic trends for the year ahead, while the latter has often been the stage for shaping the political agenda for the planet for the following 330 days. This annual cycle continues, but let’s be honest—what have these two forums contributed to the global community in terms of geopolitical importance this year? It’s hard to recall anything truly impactful. And this isn't due to a lapse in memory, but because, frankly, little of note has occurred.

Against this backdrop, the traditional Global Baku Forum, held annually in March, has increasingly become a key event for politicians and the global expert community, recognised as an essential platform for shaping the most significant global trends. The twelfth edition of the forum, which gathered around 400 influential figures from around the world—including no fewer than 50 current and former heads of state and government, UN officials, and academics—holds particular significance. Its relevance is further highlighted by the event's theme: "Rethinking World Order: Turning Challenges into Opportunities."

In essence, the current Baku Forum is not just about acknowledging the world's most pressing challenges, but also about exploring solutions to the various crises that have affected the planet. This is clearly reflected in the forum's panel discussions, such as "Geopolitical Shifts: Responsible Partnerships versus Rivalry," "Reimagining Multilateralism for a Multipolar World," and "Middle Powers in the New World Order." These topics undoubtedly confirm the formidable influence of this year’s Global Forum. The central theme, which emerges naturally without any forced interpretation, is one of creation and constructive action. Moreover, this theme is framed through the lens of Azerbaijan’s active role and initiatives in the global arena.

The first confirmation of this is reflected in President Ilham Aliyev's emphasis on Azerbaijan's role, which can be compared to bridging the Global South and the Global North. In this context, the president made a brief reference to the country's chairmanship in the Non-Aligned Movement, during which Baku, including during the COVID period, provided humanitarian and financial assistance to more than 80 countries. Also, in this vein, Ilham Aliyev identified the consensus on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, achieved during the COP29 held in Baku, as one of the turning points, making the "carbon market functional."

Isn’t the president’s acknowledgment of the fact that, despite our wealth in fossil fuels, the country's goal is to focus on renewable energy a clear example of the constructive paradigm? This includes increasing Azerbaijan’s renewable energy production capacity to the point where it can generate electricity from fossil fuels. At the same time, Baku ensures energy security for more than a dozen countries, which is why the European Commission has called Azerbaijan a reliable partner and a pan-European energy supplier. Isn't this a manifestation of our nation's constructive potential, especially considering that it also includes "our green energy sources along with a new energy cable that will stretch from Azerbaijan to Europe"?

Turning the page of President Ilham Aliyev's speech, we encounter unique constructive trends related to the country's liberated territories. Yes, "we cannot and we will not forget the years of occupation and the suffering of the Azerbaijani people, which was caused by Armenian occupation and aggression…We will not forget the genocide of Khojaly." Those visiting the liberated territories can witness the level of barbarism of the occupiers and urbicide. But the Azerbaijani people are a nation of builders, setting an example for the world with the speed, taste, and love with which "we are rebuilding them," rooted in our rich heritage.

At the same time, the constructive spirit that defines the XII Global Baku Forum was also evident in President Ilham Aliyev’s emphasis on the importance of peace in the South Caucasus. He stated, "That's why Azerbaijan was the initiator of the peace process." In light of the president’s words, it becomes clear that even today, the victorious nation of the Second Karabakh War continues to extend a hand to the defeated country—a truly unique case in world history. This is because Azerbaijan is “even the author of the draft peace agreement.”

At the heart of this initiative lies "our fight," which was fundamentally “ a fight for justice, for international law.” However, as the president pointed out, “sometimes you have to use force to achieve peace and to restore justice.”

In this context, the president’s fixation on the need to eliminate any territorial claims against Azerbaijan in Armenia's Constitution and to dissolve the OSCE Minsk Group is clearly seen as a path to further constructive steps in the region. This is because the realization of these stated calls is the only way to move towards real peace in the South Caucasus. But are the new "bosses" and "big brothers" of Armenia from Brussels truly inclined towards this, when the European Peace Fund allocates millions of dollars to Yerevan for armament, and the deadly weapons supplied to them are aimed at Azerbaijan, while the "so-called European monitoring mission, which is actually a reconnaissance mission of the European Union, is spying day and night on our border, looking just for places where they can penetrate?”

In this context, President Ilham Aliyev delivered a powerful message to the anti-Azerbaijani circles, asserting that Armenia’s former "big brothers," in the form of corrupt American politicians, are now facing significant consequences. He emphasized that it is time for these individuals to be held accountable for their illegal activities in Azerbaijan, including those involving USAID. It is clear that "the policy of Mr. Antony Blinken towards Azerbaijan actually ruined US-Azerbaijani relations, which we had been building for 30 years." 

Undoubtedly, this perspective, voiced by the president, also fits within the context of the constructive paradigm, as exposing criminals clears the way for steps aimed at maintaining peace, stability, and security.

Let’s agree that the key points highlighted in President Ilham Aliyev’s programmatic speech at the Baku Forum clearly demonstrate Azerbaijan’s strength and resolve. These attributes have become the very reason why external anti-Azerbaijani forces have been unable to impose their will on the country in an effort to alter its policy of fully restoring sovereignty and territorial integrity. Today, in the region, there is a nation that unapologetically follows its national interests and refuses to bow to the so-called "bosses."

As expressed on March 13 by a member of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, "we are living at the crossroads of global history," and in a "fractured world, new forces are emerging, and the global West must recognize this." Azerbaijan confidently and irreversibly holds one of the top positions among the states that are becoming new centers of power. Or, one could say, centers for making global decisions. The first working day of the XII Global Baku Forum confirmed this.