First Azerbaijan-US Think Tank Forum kicks off in Baku

The first Azerbaijan–US Think Tank Forum has started in Baku, bringing together representatives of think tanks from the two countries.

The event titled “Shared Perspectives: Azerbaijan–US Dialogue for Strategic Partnership,” also includes experts from the Atlantic Council, New Lines Institute, Hudson Institute, Central Asia–Caucasus Institute and representatives of The National Interest magazine, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

The programme includes sessions on “Assessing the Washington Summit: Impact on US–Azerbaijan Relations,” “The Azerbaijan–Armenia Peace Process after the Washington Summit” and “Energy Security and Connectivity.”

Forum participants are holding discussions on strengthening strategic partnerships, advancing regional cooperation, and exploring initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable development, security, and the economic integration of the wider Eurasian region.

During the forum, ADA University Rector and former Azerbaijani Ambassador to the United States Hafiz Pashayev underscored the significant role American think tanks played throughout his diplomatic mission in Washington.

He recalled that as the first ambassador of independent Azerbaijan to the US in the 1990s, he witnessed how actively and professionally these institutions operated, highlighting the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) as a “true school of diplomacy” during his early years in Washington.

Pashayev praised the launch of the Azerbaijan–US Think Tank Forum, expressing confidence that such platforms will give fresh momentum to bilateral cooperation.

Notably, Hafiz Pashayev was the first ambassador of independent Azerbaijan to the United States. He assumed the post in 1993 and in the following years became one of the key figures in shaping Azerbaijan–US relations.

By Jeyhun Aghazada